Claire's
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
US mall chain selling low-cost fashion jewellery and accessories.
There's no proof Claire's 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 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, unaudited production in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. 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 1 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 China, India and Thailand, 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
- Not met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Claire's names some of the countries it makes in: China. The rest is shown as where jewellery and watches are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| ThailandUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ItalyUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| SwitzerlandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Modern slavery statement
- Relies on gold and gemstones from artisanal mines where workers face mercury poisoning, silica dust and deadly collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Claire's does not publish where its products are made or a supplier list. Its last annual report (2018) said it bought from about 330 suppliers, mostly through a Hong Kong buying office, and that most products are made in China. Its forced labour statement for the year to February 2025 says suppliers are visited and audited by a third party and that no forced or child labour was found, but gives no audit numbers, wage data or certifications.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not rated in Baptist World Aid's 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (or the 2024 edition); Claire's has no Australian stores. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour allegations involving Claire's suppliers were found on the Resource Centre. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Claire's Stores Form 10-K, fiscal 2017 (SEC) · search the archive · About 330 suppliers; Hong Kong buying office; most products made in China (2018 filing)
- New Claire's owner to keep nearly 800 stores open (Retail TouchPoints, 2025) · search the archive · Ames Watson bought Claire's North American business after its August 2025 Chapter 11 filing
- Claire's shuts all UK stores with 1,300 jobs lost (ITV News, 2026) · search the archive · Claire's UK and Ireland stores closed in April 2026
Published by Claire's or its owner
- Claire's Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · FY to 1 Feb 2025: third-party audits and factory visits; no forced or child labour identified; no countries or supplier list
- Claire's shipping information · search the archive · Online orders ship only within the US; no Australian delivery or stores
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Claire's ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/claires, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Other fashion jewellery brands
Nothing we've rated in fashion jewellery is better than Lacks transparency yet.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Claire's.