Earp Bros is one of the oldest family businesses in Australia. Can you take us back to the beginning as to what that journey looked like from your perspective?

Earp Bros was founded in 1883, when George Earp arrived in Australia and established an import-export business in Newcastle, NSW. In the early days, we distributed everything from Model T Fords to Arnott’s biscuits – products that shaped everyday life in a young nation. By the 1930s, the business had begun shifting toward building materials. Today, our focus is on high-performance surfaces: porcelain, ceramic, and natural stone. 

My own journey began more than 35 years ago, when my brother Michael and I joined the business. From the beginning, we were driven by a commitment to sustainability and transparency and to building a legacy George would be proud of. I travelled extensively to find partners in manufacturing who shared our values. Our goal was to give the market clear information that enabled good decision-making in selecting materials. We found the market was making poor decisions on selecting materials for buildings that had long-term implications. 

A turning point came through our collaboration with Carl Strautins the owner of Safe Environments, which resulted in the development of the Accelerated Wear Test. This test method gave architects, designers, and end-users a framework to evaluate a product’s full lifecycle. This change marked a breakthrough in an industry where two tiles can appear identical but perform vastly differently across their lifecycle. It also helped shift the focus from price to performance.

Transparency goes hand in hand with sustainability. It is this philosophy that drove us to become Australia’s first Global GreenTag-certified tile supplier, and later the first to adopt a Modern Slavery Declaration for products. Through our partnership with Global GreenTag International, we’ve driven tangible improvements in the building materials industry, from responsible sourcing to transparent production practices. These practices have changed the way international businesses are selecting materials. 

Today, Earp Bros collaborates with like-minded manufacturers, offering products with clear certifications, and ensuring every batch meets strict performance standards, which is totally unique in the hard flooring industry.

How does that sense of responsibility influence the way Earp Bros curates and creates its collections?

Responsibility is central to how we source and curate our product portfolio. Our guiding principle is Surface Evolution: in essence, it means sourcing materials that advance performance, design, or sustainability. We are evolving them, changing and challenging the manufacturing of products every day. Continual improvement.

While many suppliers have encouraged us to expand into fixtures, fittings and other materials, we’ve deliberately stayed focused on surfaces. This clarity of focus allows us to build a stronger portfolio of consciously sourced materials in line with our core vision. Our team travels internationally to inspect factories, assess working conditions, and review manufacturing processes. If a factory won’t allow us in, we simply won’t buy from them – it’s a basic filter, but an effective one. 

For customers, this means genuine value, as we deliver with the Declare label, Global GreenTag certifications, full accelerated wear testing and the knowledge that your brand is what we represent.

We are especially proud to be expanding our partnership with Keope, a global leader in sustainable manufacturing. This year, we’ll be launching three new Keope ranges, Grace, Trevi, and Versilia – each combining sustainability with beauty and performance. We look forward to sharing them with you soon.

What does “good design” mean to you, especially in the context of Australian architecture?

Good design stands the test of time. It must respond to its environment: visually, functionally, and emotionally. Australians are instinctively attuned to space: we value openness, durability, and materials that bring warmth or strength where needed. 

For us, good design is about longevity. Our materials are chosen to feel right not just today, but decades from now. Sustainability goes beyond production, it’s also about design integrity. Imitations fade, but well-resolved design stands the test of time.

Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future of the Australian building industry more broadly?

The future of building in Australia will be shaped by responses to major challenges like urban density, climate and resource pressures, and global trade disruptions. Architects, designers, and construction companies are showing incredible creativity in rethinking how we live, work, and share public spaces. We need to make sure we use products we know where they have come from, what they are made from and how long they last.

At Earp Bros, our vision is to support that shift. Our role goes beyond supplying high-quality materials – we champion practices that prioritise longevity, ethical manufacturing, and material sustainability. For us, it’s never been about being the biggest. It’s about being the most trusted partner to our clients, our industry, and Australia’s future.

As you look ahead, what excites you most about the future of Earp Bros?

For me personally, it’s about people: our team, our community. We always try to honour the past while focusing on the legacy we want to leave for the future. Watching new leaders within

Earp Bros take our heritage and carry it forward with fresh vision is incredibly rewarding. They’re not just maintaining a legacy, they’re building on it. 

We are also entering a new era by designing and manufacturing our own collections. This includes new marble collections and handmade ranges that will be rolled out in 2026. These products have taken decades of learning to turn into materials that feel uniquely Australian, shaped by our values and aesthetic sensibilities. Having full creative control gives us the freedom to design with purpose and to build for longevity. We aim to help future-proof Australian construction by offering products that are thoughtfully designed, responsibly sourced, and built to last.

For more information, visit earp.com.au