Buckle 1922
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Sydney maker of leather belts and braces, handmade in St Peters.
Buckle 1922 makes these lines in different places, so each has its own grade rather than one for the whole company.
Leather belts and braces On Track
Pays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.
Buckle 1922 makes its leather belts and braces in its own factories in Australia, and carries the Australian Made label. Ethical Clothing Australia checks that every worker in its Australian supply chain is paid award wages and entitlements.
Stretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories Lacks transparency
Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Buckle 1922 makes its stretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories in China, where unions are heavily restricted. There's no proof it pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Buckle 1922? Send a right of reply.
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Graded by product line
Each line is graded on its own countries and certifications. Problems found anywhere count against every line unless they clearly belong to one.
| Line | Grade | Made in | Why it isn't Good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather belts and bracesHandmade in its own workshop in St Peters, Sydney (Ethical Clothing Australia accredited). | On Track | Australia Source |
|
| Stretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessoriesMade in China by suppliers it doesn't name. | Lacks transparency | China Source |
It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade. |
There's no grade for the whole company, so these checks combine its product lines: a check is met only when every line meets it. What each line is missing is in the table above.
Good requirements, all lines 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationMet for Leather belts and braces only
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMet for Leather belts and braces only
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standardsMet for Leather belts and braces only
- 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 listMet for Leather belts and braces only
- Not met: High-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its range
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wageStretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories only
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rightsStretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories only
Accreditations 2
- Ethical Clothing AustraliaCounts as proof of a living wage for products made in Australia, because it checks workers get the legal pay rates for their job, and in Australia those are about a living wage.
- Australian MadeCounts as made in Australia for the final stage. For Good, the brand also needs to show where its materials and parts are made.
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Buckle 1922's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product made without leather: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where it's made
Where its leather belts and braces are made
From Buckle 1922's own disclosure: it makes its leather belts and braces in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Where its stretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories are made
Buckle 1922 says which countries it makes its stretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories in, but doesn't name the factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found across the company
- Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- Doesn't show where its leather comes from. Leather is linked to hazardous tannery work and forced labour on some cattle ranches, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
Research notes Buckle's leather belts and braces, the majority of its range, are handmade by about 13 craftspeople at its own workshop in St Peters, Sydney, accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia since 2021, which checks award wages and entitlements. Its stretch belts, cufflinks, socks and other accessories are made in China by suppliers it does not name, and it gives no split between the two. All its leather comes from Leather Working Group certified tanneries, whose locations are not disclosed.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ethical Clothing Australia | Certified | Listed in the current Ethical Clothing Australia directory for its Australian-made belts and braces; imported accessories made in China are not covered. View |
| Fair Wear | Not listed | No indication of Fair Wear membership. View |
| B Corp directory | Not listed | No indication of B Corp certification. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Does not appear to be graded in the Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No supply chain labour allegations against Buckle were found. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Ethical Clothing Australia: Buckle · search the archive · Accredited with the 'Majority Made in Australia' badge (checked Nov 2026); belts and braces made by 13 artisans in St Peters, Sydney.
- Ragtrader: Buckle 1922 – how we survived 95 years in business · search the archive · Over 25 employees, 13 craftspeople; 2013 purchase by GM Melissa Gibson and sales manager Warren Sanders from the fourth-generation family owners.
Published by Buckle 1922 or its owner
- Buckle: About · search the archive · Management buyout 2013; ECA accredited 2021; 100% of leather from Leather Working Group certified tanneries; production moved to St Peters 2024; 25+ staff.
- Buckle: Square Nickel Cufflinks · search the archive · Product listed as Made in China.
- Buckle: Merino Rib Crew Socks 4 Pack · search the archive · Made in China; knitting and construction completed offshore with Australian merino wool.
- Buckle: ARLO Tactical Stretch Belt · search the archive · Made in China; Australian-made range limited to leather belts and braces.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 25
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Buckle 1922 ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/buckle-1922, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What the grades mean
Better-graded bags and accessories
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Buckle 1922.