United Colors of Benetton
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Italian fashion company selling United Colors of Benetton clothing.
A deadly safety failure was documented in United Colors of Benetton's supply chain in 2013, which it has only partly put right, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, clear breaches of labour conditions and unaudited production in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (deadly safety failure, last recorded in 2013) is more than 5 years old.
- 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 rightsA confirmed problem counts against it: deadly safety failure, last recorded in 2013
- 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
- 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
- Met: High-risk raw materials (cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeTraced or certified: cotton
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Clear breaches of labour conditions
- 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
From United Colors of Benetton's own disclosure: it publishes its supplier list.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Egypt | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Myanmar | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Very high |
| Italy | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Cambodia | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Tunisia | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Low |
| Serbia | Systematic violations | Not rated | Moderate |
| South Korea | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Sri Lanka | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Romania | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Madagascar | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Mauritius | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Passes the raw-material check for clothes and shoes: traces or certifies its cotton.
- Publishes supplier list
- Signed the International Accord on garment factory safety
- 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.
Research notes Benetton's clothes are made by independent suppliers. Its 2025 supplier list (FW25/SS26) names 127 garment-making sites: 49 in China, 21 Bangladesh, 14 Türkiye, 13 India, 8 Egypt, 6 Myanmar and the rest in Italy, Cambodia, Tunisia and six other countries. It signed the International Accord, names its main raw cotton, wool, nylon and viscose suppliers, and bought 51% of its cotton certified in 2025. It still sources from Myanmar despite worker complaints; in 2024 one supplier there reinstated a dismissed worker with back pay. It publishes no living wage commitment or wage data.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Scored 73% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, well above the 26% average. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not rated in Baptist World Aid's 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, the latest edition, which covers brands with a large Australian presence. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Company profile lists Myanmar supplier allegations (overnight work, denied leave, a dismissed security worker later reinstated) and factory exit job losses; 69% response rate. View |
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Listed | Linked to the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse; paid US$1.1 million into the victims' compensation fund in 2015. View |
Confirmed issues 3
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? |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | A security worker at Guohua Glory (FORTUNE), a Myanmar supplier to Benetton, was dismissed after being denied overtime pay and permanent employment; Benetton's response confirmed he was reinstated and paid back overtime (Benetton response to BHRRC, 2024). Source · search the archivePut right The company has put this right for the people affected, so it no longer counts against the grade. | YesThe factory rehired him in his old job with original start date and paid 3,000,000 kyat for two years' overtime, leave and bonus; Benetton is monitoring (Sept 2024). |
| 2023 | Benetton confirmed that a December 2023 third-party audit of a Myanmar supplier found excessive overtime and other non-compliances, though it said these were less serious than workers alleged (Benetton response to BHRRC, 2024). Source · search the archive | PartlyBenetton said it would investigate and closely monitor the supplier's corrective action plan; no back pay or compensation for workers was reported. |
| 2013 | Benetton labels and documents were found in the rubble of the Rana Plaza factory building in Bangladesh, whose 2013 collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2015). Source · search the archive | PartlyBenetton paid US$1.1 million into the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund in 2015 after a public campaign; the Clean Clothes Campaign called this well short of its share. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Workers at Myanmar garment factories supplying Benetton, including Golden Fashion, reported being made to work through the night, sleeping at the factory and being denied leave (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2024). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Benetton - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · FTI 2023 73%; Accord signatory; Better Cotton member; 51% certified cotton (Cotton Rankings 2025); owned by Edizione
- Benetton Group response to BHRRC, February 2024 · search the archive · FTI 2023 73%; Accord signatory; Better Cotton member; 51% certified cotton (Cotton Rankings 2025); owned by Edizione
- Benetton Group - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre · search the archive · Myanmar allegations: overnight work, Golden Fashion leave denial, dismissed security worker; 69% response rate
- Benetton's response re Guohua Glory (FORTUNE), September 2024 · search the archive · Dismissed security worker rehired with original start date; 3,000,000 MMK paid for overtime, leave and bonus; termination policy adopted
- CCC believes Benetton's 1.1 million USD contribution insufficient (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2015) · search the archive · Benetton paid US$1.1m to the Rana Plaza fund in 2015; CCC says it fell short
- Benetton at Selfridges (Australia site) · search the archive · Benetton items listed for sale on Selfridges' Australian site; no Benetton stores in Australia found
Published by United Colors of Benetton or its owner
- Benetton suppliers list FW25/SS26 · search the archive · 127 manufacturing sites: CN 49, BD 21, TR 14, IN 13, EG 8, MM 6, IT 4, KH 3, TN 3; one each RS, KR, LK, RO, MG, MU
Company details
- Headquarters
- Italy
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is United Colors of Benetton ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/benetton, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded kids and baby
Nothing new in kids and baby that we know makes knitwear is better than Lacks transparency yet. Paisley's Patterns and Imagewear are Good, but we don't know that they make knitwear. 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 United Colors of Benetton.