CamelBak
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Californian brand of hydration packs and reusable drink bottles.
There's no proof CamelBak pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: 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.
- 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 countries such as China and India, 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 (such as timber and cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From product labels; CamelBak doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| PolandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- No high-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
Research notes CamelBak does not disclose where its products are made; retailer listings give China as the origin of its bottles. Its 2020 supplier code bans forced labour and recruitment fees but only asks for wages that meet legal minimums, and owner Revelyst says it does not formally audit suppliers or use a third party to assess forced labour risk, relying on suppliers' contractual promises. No supplier list, audit results or living wage commitment is published.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion and Electronics reports do not assess hydration and drinkware brands such as CamelBak. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | No Australian modern slavery statement covering CamelBak or Revelyst was found on the register. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reports on labour abuses at CamelBak suppliers were found. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Bell Helmets, CamelBak and other brands sold for $1.125 billion · search the archive · Revelyst brands incl. CamelBak sold to Strategic Value Partners, deal closing January 2025
- CamelBak Eddy+ bottle (Varusteleka) · search the archive · Retailer lists the CamelBak bottle as originating from China
- CamelBak M.U.L.E. hydration pack (BCF Australia) · search the archive · CamelBak sold by BCF, which has stores across Australia
- Revelyst's Project Freedom at 2026 SHOT Show (Business Wire) · search the archive · January 2026: CamelBak still listed as a Revelyst portfolio brand
Published by CamelBak or its owner
- CamelBak Supplier Social Responsibility Code (2020) · search the archive · Bans forced labour and recruitment fees; wages must meet legal requirements; CamelBak may audit suppliers
- Revelyst supply chain disclosure · search the archive · Revelyst does not formally audit suppliers or use a third party to assess trafficking risk; relies on supplier contract terms
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is CamelBak ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/camelbak, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded cookware and tableware
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent CamelBak.