Increasingly, Australians are looking to buy local whether it’s food, furniture or clothing. According to Roy Morgan research more than two-thirds of Australians would prefer to buy genuine Australian-made products than those made overseas and that’s good news for local designers like Sydney based jewellery maker Molly Coombs Marr.
“I make polymer clay jewellery inspired by Australiana; it’s all my favourite bits of Australia made into earring form” explains Molly.
Molly’s range of earrings pays homage to iconic Australian items like Iced VoVos, Rainbow Paddle Pops and even the accidental Australian hero - ‘the bin chicken’ (the ibis).
“I think Australiana is quite daggy and people are really embracing that now and pushing for it to be less daggy in a way,” says Molly.
Molly Coombs Marr is turning Kath & Kim fashion into everyday fashion. Source: Supplied
“Just like Jenny Kee (in the 1980’s) created all those beautiful clothes with funny koalas and made it high fashion, a lot of people are drawn to that now, turning Kath & Kim fashion into everyday fashion”.
The flexibility of selling online and at Makers Markets has helped Molly’s business and social media following to grow.
But selling online has also exposed her business to copycats. It’s an issue that is all too common for local independent designers, such as Haus of Dizzy, Founder Kristy Dickinson who told Small Business secrets last year how she too had been copied.
Recently Molly has discovered that someone is copying one of her favourite designs and mass producing them. “They copied my pelican earrings, which was a big kick in the gut”.
Molly uses polymer clay, a plastic based clay that sets in the oven to create her pieces. Source: Supplied
“It’s sad to see that happening. You put so much time and love into a piece, and to see someone copy it and make money without the effort is sad”.
“They reproduced it digitally and cut it out with laser cutter.
“So it even has my small handmade marks, which makes my pieces special but she has made them on a mass scale”.
Design protection is a grey area for independent designers wanting to safeguard their intellectual property and Molly says trademarking her designs would be too expensive.
Molly Coombs Marr has gained a loyal following through social media, for her Australiana themed earrings. Source: Instagram
“Protecting is quite difficult especially in a design business”.
“Fashion design isn’t well protected, you can trademark your designs but it costs lots of money”.
Molly says her best form of protection is her loyal following.
“People are realising local and environmental impact of buying fast fashion, and they want to support local designers”.
