Bridgedale
On Track. Pays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources
Northern Irish maker of technical socks for hiking, running and skiing.
Bridgedale makes most of its technical hiking and outdoor socks in its own factories in the United Kingdom, where legal wages are close to a living wage.
Also worth knowing
It publishes a modern slavery statement.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Bridgedale? Send a right of reply.
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Why it's graded On Track
- Not met: Meets 5 of 7 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
Good requirements 5 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in the United Kingdom are close to a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Not met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneA "Made in" claim can cover only the final stage. Earlier stages to show: yarn, fabric, dyeing and, for shoes, uppers
- 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 listMakes its products in its own factories
- Met: High-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range
Red flags 0
None found.
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Bridgedale's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories. Its list covers only part of its range. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 90% | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Low |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | 3% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | 2% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | 1% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | 1% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | 1% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- No high-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Modern slavery statement
- Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)
- "Made in the United Kingdom" only means the last major stage happened there: under customs and consumer law, yarn, fabric, dyeing and, for shoes, uppers can be made elsewhere. It hasn't shown where those earlier stages happen, so where it's made counts towards On Track but not Good.
Research notes Over 90% of Bridgedale socks are knitted, finished and hand-inspected at its own factory in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, which has made socks since the First World War; where the rest are made is not disclosed. Wool is bought from suppliers that confirm in writing their sheep are not mulesed. Owner Bollin Group publishes a UK modern slavery statement and has its overseas partner factories (China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Hungary) audited through Fair Wear, but publishes no wage data for the Newtownards workforce.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Covered by Bollin Group's modern slavery statement for the year ending January 2025, filed on the UK government registry in 2026. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Made of more: our visit to the Bridgedale factory (Walk 1000 Miles) · search the archive · Every stage from yarn to boxed pairs happens at the Newtownards factory; packaging made in Belfast
- Bridgedale Hike Lightweight socks - Offtrack (Australia) · search the archive · Bridgedale socks listed by Australian outdoor retailer Offtrack, which has a physical shop and online store
Published by Bridgedale or its owner
- Bridgedale - About us · search the archive · Socks designed and made at its own factory in Newtownards, Northern Ireland; wool suppliers confirm non-mulesed sheep
- Bridgedale 40 year long service awards · search the archive · Over 90% of Bridgedale socks are made at the Newtownards factory
- Bridgedale - Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · Part of family-owned Bollin Group; group owns sock factories in UK and South Africa; partners in China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Hungary; Fair Wear audits
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Bridgedale ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/bridgedale, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What On Track means
Better-graded outdoor
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Bridgedale.