Australia-Made Stickers Since 1970
Welcome to School Merit Solutions, your trusted provider of teaching aid solutions for Australian teachers, students and classrooms. From our humble beginnings in 1970, to today’s thriving business, we’ve combined family tradition with fresh ideas to create products loved in classrooms nationwide.
We’ve been producing stickers for 55+ years, so we’d love to share with you an overview of who we are and where we've come from.
Our Humble Beginnings
Our founder, Grahame Waters, was first introduced to the world of printing thanks to his father Allan, who ran his own printing business (Waters Typographic House) during the 1950s.
Using this experience, Grahame then went on to establish Slicker Stickers in the 1970s, which evolved into today’s business (School Merit Solutions) around 2012, continuing the longstanding family tradition of print and design that still shapes the business today.
Grahame Waters, the founder of School Merit Solutions
Slicker Stickers warehouse in 1989 before we became School Merit Solutions
A behind the scenes shot of our busy warehouse in 1995
The Question That Started It All
Our focus on improving the lives of teachers and students goes all the way back to our very beginnings. In the 1970s, a chance conversation between the soon-to-be founder of School Merit Solutions and his son's teacher posed the question “Is it possible to create a range of stickers that could be used to assist students with their learning?”
The answer was yes!
That simple conversation led to our very first 'catalogue' - just three simple sticker designs on a single sheet of paper! Taking these designs back to the school, their effectiveness was proven true and it wasn’t long until merit stickers took off Australia-wide.
We now have an extensive full catalogue of various products which you will find here.
Where it all started - our very first catalogue of sticker designs in 1982
A Growing Collection And Customer Base
Over the next three decades from 1970-2000, our collection grew from three stickers to three hundred. With positive feedback from teachers and students right throughout Australia, our team could see the positive impact our stickers were making in classrooms all over the country.
The original designs for our labels and ribbons were created during the 1980s and 1990s by the founder’s son-in-law who was a naturally gifted artist. Our newer designs are crafted by our talented team of professional graphic designers who blend a mixture of modern design together with the traditional styles where it all started for us.
“Excellent and prompt customer service, very competitive pricing, and speedy delivery.”
- Natasha
Our Established Range Today
We’re proud to say that we now offer more than 600 products, including sports ribbons, badges, pencils, certificates, and of course, our trusty merit stickers!
We also have a range of Bundles for popular occasions within the school calendar including:
Teachers will also be pleased to know we now offer an exciting range of Sensory Products for students who need help with staying focused, keeping calm, or managing stress. We’ve noticed these are particularly helpful in managing behavior for children with ADHD & Autism.
Despite our substantial growth and demand, we’ve maintained our local manufacturing process, with 85% of our products manufactured right here in Australia, supporting local communities while helping children flourish in their education. We also ensure our products are of the highest quality and are delivered within 1-3 days to provide optimal accessibility and availability for busy teachers and classrooms.
“Wonderful company for teacher resources, and their delivery time is impeccable. I forgot to order the 100% attendance badges for my students for the term, and once I ordered them, it only took 2 days when I received them. I was so happy that I was able to give them to my students before the holidays. Thanks so much!”
– Tanya
Our Team Behind The Scenes
School Merit Solutions is run by a small but dedicated team. Charlotte has managed the business for the past five years, working to ensure all orders reach Australian schools on time and to the highest standard.
Rick is also a longstanding staff member who has worked in the warehouse for more than 35 years, reflecting the trust and reliability that underpin our company’s values and operations.
We also have an operational team behind the scenes who manage the marketing, website and stock to ensure teachers and students receive their Australian-made products thanks to our super-fast delivery, with items guaranteed to arrive within 1-3 days.
“Don’t think twice! Place your order now! My order came within a day! The products are amazing and the nostalgia I felt when opening them was priceless! I wouldn’t buy my stickers from anywhere else!”
- Rebecca