Canada Goose
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Toronto maker of premium down parkas, jackets and knitwear.
There's no proof Canada Goose pays more than the legal minimum, which in Romania is below a living wage.
Better-graded outdoor
Graded higher than Canada Goose, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.
Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Canada Goose? Send a right of reply.
Compare Canada Goose with another brand
Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 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, 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 rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Bangladesh 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 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
- 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
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Gives workers a real voice |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Canada Goose'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.
Jackets & coats, Knitwear, Hats, Boots: Lacks transparency, the same as Canada Goose overall, because nothing we know differs between them.
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where it's made
Canada Goose names some of the countries it makes in: Canada and Romania. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 60% | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
| Romania | Not given | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | 9% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | 6% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | 3% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | 1% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- Actively empowers workers (ownership, worker committees, union agreements, training)
- 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 traces or certifies most of it. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes In FY26, 65% of Canada Goose products by volume were made in North America, where its seven company-run factories are in Canada, 34% in Europe (including its own knitwear factory in Romania) and 1% in Asia; it does not name its other countries or publish a factory list. All seven Canadian factories had third-party Higg social audits, and 81% of Tier 1 suppliers submitted acceptable third-party audits. Unions represent 39% of its workforce. It has no living wage commitment and scored 6/100 in KnowTheChain's 2023 benchmark. 96% of purchased leather is from LWG-certified suppliers.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Scored 16% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, below the 26% average. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Company profile shows no public evidence that suppliers pay a living wage (Fashion Checker, 2023); listed as aligned with the Transparency Pledge. (2023 edition; latest is 2026) View |
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 and the Workers United union said in 2020 that about 500 staff at a Winnipeg Canada Goose factory shared portable toilets for weeks, and described low piece rates, unrealistic targets and a 'culture of fear'; the company said the landlord was repairing the washrooms (PressProgress, 2020). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Canada Goose - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · FTI 2023 16%; KnowTheChain 2023 6/100; Bain Capital owns 49%
- Canada Goose - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre · search the archive · No public evidence of living wages in supply chain; Transparency Pledge and Global Framework Agreement indicators
- Canada Goose FY26 Deep Dive Report · search the archive · FY26 volume: N. America 65%, Europe 34%, Asia 1%; 7 Canadian factories; 81% Tier 1 audited; 96% leather LWG; unions 39%; 4,740 staff
- Canada Goose FY24 Supply Chain Act (S-211) Report · search the archive · 75% of FY23 volume made in Canada, 22% Europe; third-party audits collected; unions represent majority of workforce
- Canada Goose acquires first European manufacturing facility (Business Wire) · search the archive · Acquired Romanian knitwear maker Paola Confectii in 2023; down products stay made in Canada
- Canada Goose factory workers fear losing jobs (PressProgress) · search the archive · 2020 worker and union allegations at Winnipeg factory; company response
Published by Canada Goose or its owner
- Canada Goose FY25 Impact Report · search the archive · FY25: 7 own Canadian factories and 1 in Europe; 23 Tier 1 sites; Tier 1 audits collected via TrusTrace
Company details
- Headquarters
- Canada
- Employees
- About 4,740
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Canada Goose ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/canada-goose, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Canada Goose.