‘We want to see Black retailers grow’: The launch of Aboriginal Retail Australia

The launch of Aboriginal Retail Australia (ARA) this month marks the first national, Aboriginal-led organisation dedicated solely to advocating for First Nations retailers.It hopes to protect businesses from being sidelined or imitated, while also building new pathways for goods to find a place on mainstream shelves.“We know our culture holds a unique place in this country, and Aboriginal-owned products not only support our cultural expression but also contribute to Australia’s national identity,” said Elizabeth Liddle, ARA’s chairperson.“As more First Nations businesses enter retail, the time is right for an organisation that builds capability and advocates for supply chain opportunities within the mainstream retail sector.” The new organisation shares the same abbreviation as the Australian Retailers Association, one of the retail industry’s main lobby groups, alongside the National Retail Association. The two groups are merging and will be known as the Australian Retail Council (ARC) going forward. Addressing the gapThe launch of Aboriginal Retail Australia addresses a longstanding gap in industry representation. While First Nations businesses operate across fashion, art, homewares, design and skincare, many struggle to scale or access fair procurement opportunities.Without a unifying voice, they have faced fragmented representation, vulnerability and what Liddle describes as token inclusion. This lack of representation has also enabled some bad actors to pass themselves off as being Aboriginal-owned businesses when that is not the case. “For businesses that don’t currently believe they are purchasing from Aboriginal-owned businesses, the best starting point is to seek to understand the diversity of certified Aboriginal-owned businesses and what they can supply or work with you to supply,” Liddle told Inside Retail. “A meaningful step is to review all the products on your shelves or listed in your online stores that appear to reflect Aboriginal culture, traditions, or knowledge systems. “Consider products that feature Aboriginal artwork, use native foods, or include botanicals as ingredients, and then ask, ‘Has this product been supplied by an Aboriginal-owned business?’”Replacing imitation with authentic sourcing, she added, strengthens authenticity, better meets customer expectations and ensures that the economic benefits flow to the people whose culture this trade is built upon.Clothing The GapsLaura Thompson, co-founder of Clothing The Gaps and now director of Aboriginal Retail Australia, brings the lived experience of building one of Australia’s most visible First Nations-owned fashion labels into her new advocacy role. Clothing The Gaps’ journey has been marked by direct-to-consumer success and partnerships with major players such as Universal Store since its foundation five years ago.  “Before we got to that point of being stocked in that space, we were on a journey that included them sharing the supply chain, us being on shoot with them… helping select the talent,” she explained to Inside Retail.For Thompson, that journey is a blueprint for how mainstream retailers can engage with First Nations brands. “We have to really recognise the Black excellence of First Nation retailers… it’s that commitment to be patient and go on a journey, and then you get the rewards at the end of that,” she said.Her involvement with Aboriginal Retail Australia extends that ethos. “We want to see Black retailers grow as well. If we can contribute to that and the growth of the industry in any way, then we want to be part of it,” she said. Thompson emphasised that First Nations businesses are not in competition with each other. Rather, when they begin to self-determine and create their own opportunities, the impact ripples outward across communities and the wider economy.“We know that Aboriginal businesses are one hundred times more likely to employ Aboriginal people in them. So there’s this whole impact around where everyday Australians choose to spend their money,” she said. Defining authenticityEqually important is recognising where Aboriginal businesses contribute along the supply chain. Certification, Liddle added, provides assurance.“If a business you work with is not yet certified, encourage them to complete the process. Certification provides assurance to both your business and customers, and it sets you apart from businesses that only sell Aboriginal-style products made by non-Aboriginal businesses or harmful fakes,” Liddle explained. “The dilution comes when non-Aboriginal brands and retailers try to do it themselves, e.g., create their own products to promote a message instead of retailing Aboriginal brands,” Thompson said. A recurring challenge has been the proliferation of imitation “Aboriginal style” goods. These erode trust and divert income away from First Nations communities. For Liddle, the lesson is clear that responsibility cannot be outsourced.Such measures, she said, protect both retailers and consumers from misrepresentation.Industry collaborationThe ARA is now actively inviting collaboration with major retailers, marketplaces, technology providers and government partners. The aim is to co-design initiatives that expand market access and strengthen consumer trust. As Thompson said, “Whether it’s a fashion label, skincare brand, art gallery, or community enterprise, Aboriginal Retail Australia exists to support First Nations businesses at all levels and to make it easier for retailers to engage with us in the right way.”As both an advocacy body and a conduit that bridges Aboriginal-owned enterprises with the broader retail ecosystem, the ARA aims to redefine the relationship between cultural expression, commercial opportunity and consumer trust.For an industry still grappling with cost pressures, sustainability and consumer skepticism, the arrival of a First Nations-led body dedicated to authenticity may prove to be one of the sector’s most significant shifts in years.