Balenciaga
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Based on what Balenciaga publishes, with few independent checks. Researched with AI assistance against published rules. Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources · How we check
Paris luxury house selling ready-to-wear, sneakers and handbags.
There's no proof Balenciaga pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
Better-graded luxury and designer
Graded higher than Balenciaga, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.
These are the closest to Good among luxury and designer brands selling new goods. None has reached Good yet, and when one does it will show here. Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements, with 2 red flags.Open why it has this gradeClose why it has this grade
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in China, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Met: High-risk raw materials (cotton, leather, natural rubber, silk and cashmere) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeTraced or certified: cotton and leather. Only in a few products: natural rubber, silk and cashmere
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
China, Italy.Open where it's madeClose where it's made
From press and retailer reports; Balenciaga doesn't say where its products are made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Italy | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
6 things we found and what 5 independent sources say.Open the evidenceClose the evidence
What we found
- Passes the raw-material check for clothes and shoes: traces or certifies its cotton and leather.
- Modern slavery statement
- Being made in Italy doesn't count towards a living wage or audit here: Italian fashion and leather goods, where Milan prosecutors have found luxury brands' subcontractors exploiting migrant workers. It would need to publish its suppliers or have them independently audited.
- Uses natural rubber, silk and cashmere in only a few products. It doesn't show where its natural rubber and silk come from and traces or certifies most of its cashmere. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of them traced, certified or upcycled.
- Traces or certifies most but not all of its cotton. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
- Traces or certifies most but not all of its leather. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Balenciaga's leather goods are made in Tuscany, Italy, mostly by outside contractors plus its own factory, The Plant, at Cerreto Guidi (176 staff); some sneakers, such as the Triple S, have been made in China since 2018. No country split or Balenciaga supplier list is published. Kering audited about 70% of its 4,470 suppliers in 2024 but has no public living wage target, and its audits check legal minimum wages. Kering scored 44/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report; Balenciaga scored 51% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution)Another organisation's rating | Scored 51% | Scored 51% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, well above the 26% average. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Statement filed | Named as a Kering House in Kering's 2024 group modern slavery statement: 4,470 suppliers, mainly in Italy and France, about 70% audited. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Statement filed | Balenciaga UK Ltd is a reporting entity under Kering's UK modern slavery statement. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportAnother organisation's rating | Owner scored 44/100 | Owner Kering scored 44/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5); Balenciaga is not scored separately. View |
| Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (World Benchmarking Alliance)Another organisation's rating | Owner scored 52.1/100 | Kering scored 52.1% in the World Benchmarking Alliance's 2026 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark. View |
Sources and actions
7 sources, company details, and how to send evidence or a right of reply.Open the sources and company detailsClose the sources and company details
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Kering - Shop Ethical! (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Kering 44/100 in 2026 Ethical Fashion Report; 52.1% in WBA Human Rights Benchmark 2026; KnowTheChain 2023 23/100; Tailored Wages 2019
- Kering SA 2024 Modern Slavery Statement (Australian register) · search the archive · 4,470 suppliers mainly in Italy and France; about 70% audited in 2024; audits check minimum wage; no living wage target
- Kering prioritises hides from traceable origins (Leatherbiz) · search the archive · Leather: traced most. Kering requires hide suppliers to name tanneries, slaughterhouses and farm country
- Gucci tops Fashion Transparency Index 2023 (Journal du Luxe) · search the archive · Balenciaga scored 51% in FTI 2023
- Balenciaga opens The Plant: the future lies in in-house production (La Conceria) · search the archive · Leather: major use. All leather goods made in Tuscany, mostly by suppliers; The Plant employs 176
- Balenciaga shift Triple S production to China (Sneaker Freaker, 2018) · search the archive · Triple S sneaker production moved from Italy to China in 2018
- Kering's materials focus pays off (Trellis) · search the archive · Cotton: major, traced most; cashmere: minor, traced most (Kering traces 98%+ to country of origin). Silk, rubber: minor, untraced
Company details
- Owned by
- Kering SA
- Headquarters
- France
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Balenciaga ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/balenciaga, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Balenciaga.
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