Barbour
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
Family-owned British clothing company best known for waxed cotton jackets.
There's no proof Barbour pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 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: the most serious problem on its record (forced labour, last recorded in 2023) has been put right.
- 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 3 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, India and Vietnam.
- 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, other than one it has put rightForced labour was found in its supply chain in 2023, which it has since put right. That's listed below and no longer counts against the grade.
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listPublishes its supplier list
- Not met: High-risk raw materials (cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton
Red flags 1
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
China has the largest share, 31%. India is next, at 19%.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 31% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 19% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Portugal | 12% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Vietnam | 8% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| United Kingdom | 8% | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Bulgaria | 4% | Regular violations | Below a living wage | High |
| Türkiye | 4% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| Mauritius | 3% | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| Indonesia | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Moldova | 2% | Strong protections | Not rated | High |
| Cambodia | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Albania | 1% | Systematic violations | Not rated | Very high |
| Spain | 1% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Italy | 1% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Madagascar | 1% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Myanmar | 1% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Very high |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- Doesn't show where its cotton comes from. Cotton is linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and Turkmenistan, and child labour in several growing regions, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
- Uses leather in only a few products and doesn't show where it comes from. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Barbour makes a portion of its Bedale and Beaufort wax jackets in its own South Shields factory; the rest comes from 117 contracted factories in 16 countries, mostly China, India, Portugal and Vietnam. Shares are its factory counts by country (April 2025), with the own factory counted in the UK. It publishes its factory list and says all factories were audited in the last two years, but does not yet monitor fabric mills and has no living wage commitment; its code requires only the legal minimum or industry wage. It is a Better Cotton and Leather Working Group member but gives no certified share.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Publishes an annual UK modern slavery statement; the 2024-25 statement lists 117 Tier 1 factories, all audited within two years, and says Tier 2 mills are not yet monitored. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Responded to a 2024 request about migrant workers at R.E.A.L Garments in Mauritius, committing to reimburse affected workers. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | A Transparentem investigation completed in 2023 found Bangladeshi migrant workers at R.E.A.L Garments in Mauritius, a Barbour supplier, had paid high recruitment fees, were deceived about wages and faced deportation threats (Transparentem, 2023). Source · search the archivePut right The company has put this right for the people affected, so it no longer counts against the grade. | YesBarbour, PVH and Second Clothing repaid about US$390,000 in fees to 637 Bangladeshi workers in Feb 2025, verified by IndustriALL; staff who left before March 2025 were left out. |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Transparentem: Labor rights abuses in Mauritius' apparel factories · search the archive · Recruitment fees, wage deception and threats at R.E.A.L Garments; Barbour, PVH, Second Clothing repaid ~$390,000 to 637 workers in 2025
- Mauritius: Transparentem investigation prompts buyer remediation (BHRRC) · search the archive · Barbour committed in 2024 to reimburse affected workers at R.E.A.L Garments in proportion to its production
Published by Barbour or its owner
- J Barbour & Sons Modern Slavery Statement 2024-25 · search the archive · 117 Tier 1 factories at April 2025: China 36, India 22, Portugal 14, Vietnam 10, UK 8, others; own South Shields factory; 1,186 staff
- Barbour - Ethical compliance · search the archive · Transparency Pledge, factory list published, Sedex third-party audits, Better Cotton and Leather Working Group membership
- Barbour - Fabric and materials · search the archive · Cotton about 40% of materials, leather 3%; 2032 targets for 95% preferred cotton and LWG leather; no current shares
- Barbour Sustainability Statement August 2025 · search the archive · Goal of 75% preferred materials by FY2032; no living wage commitment mentioned
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Employees
- About 1,186
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Barbour ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/barbour, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded outdoor
Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Barbour.