Tait
For 30 years-plus, Tait has been making exceptional outdoor furniture from its Melbourne base – pieces designed to endure in the Australian outdoors.
For more than three decades, Tait has been committed to creating contemporary outdoor furniture that is purpose-built for Australia’s diverse, demanding landscape. Founded by husband-and-wife team Gordon and Susan Tait, the business has grown from a small Fitzroy warehouse to a nationally recognised brand with showrooms across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
The Tait story began in 1992 when Gordon, a trained metalworker, started creating bespoke pieces for the local Fitzroy community. “My ability to give the client what they wanted really set the tone for the early stages of the business being successful,” he says. Susan’s background at bath-and-body brand Red Earth helped secure early commercial work for businesses such as Country Road and Mecca. Originally focused on indoor pieces, the couple shifted direction after a client request for a sunlounge revealed a gap in the market for robust, well-designed outdoor furniture that could withstand Australia’s harsh climate.
Today, every Tait piece is made to order at the company’s factory in Thomastown, Melbourne. The expansive facility houses a suite of advanced machinery – technology the brand has been steadily investing in for more than 30 years – alongside a team of expert craftspeople who hand-assemble and hand-finish each item. “We just felt like we couldn’t achieve the quality unless we could control it all ourselves,” says Gordon. “Over the past five years, since we moved to the new factory, we’ve brought a lot of processes in-house.”
Tait’s collections are functional and elegant, ranging from outdoor seating and tables to planters, sunlounges, outdoor kitchens and more. “We’ve got quite a cross-section of offerings. It’s very cohesive,” notes Susan. “You can mix products together and there’s really something for everyone.” Clients can select from a curated palette of 22 Australian-inspired powdercoat hues and high-performance upholstery options, with each piece produced within a six-to-eight-week lead time.
Sustainability has always been central. Every product is designed for manufacture, ensuring that there is minimal waste in the production process. The factory is run on solar power, and recycling programs have been implemented for raw materials. This commitment to longevity is also backed by an industry-leading 10-year warranty for both residential and commercial customers. Clients are encouraged to bring back their pieces for refurbishment, allowing them to be restored and enjoyed for future use.
What also sets Tait apart is its innovative and award-winning partnerships with Australian designers such as Adam Goodrum, Trent Jansen and Adam Cornish. “Our first collaboration is 18 years old now, and it’s still one of our best-selling products,” says Susan. The 2025 Rockpool collection, created with Goodrum, draws on the undulating forms of coastal landscapes, while the Swing chair – formed from a single stainless-steel tube – remains one of Gordon’s favourite pieces for its simple, timeless aesthetic.
Three decades on, Gordon and Susan remain steadfast in the values that defined Tait from the beginning: purposeful design, local manufacturing and enduring quality. In doing so, they continue to offer Australians outdoor furniture built with integrity and a profound respect for place.
