Coach
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
New York leather goods house selling handbags, wallets and shoes.
Coach can't show that the workers who make its products in Vietnam and India earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 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 3 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 Vietnam, India and Cambodia.
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of forced labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listPublishes its supplier 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
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Coach's own disclosure: it publishes its supplier list. Its list covers only part of its range. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Cambodia | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Philippines | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- 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.
- Traces or certifies most but not all of its leather. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Coach products are made by independent manufacturers, in fiscal 2026 mainly in Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and India; Tapestry publishes a Tier 1 supplier list but no production shares by country. Tier 1 factories are audited each year, with semi-announced audits, and Tapestry reported no modern slavery or child labour found in FY2024. It has no living wage commitment. Leather is its main material, and 97-99% comes from Leather Working Group gold- or silver-rated tanneries. It is not rated in the Ethical Fashion Report.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Tapestry scored 41% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, above the 26% average. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Tapestry's FY2025 Australian modern slavery statement reports about 206 semi-announced audits, 78% of them at Tier 1 suppliers, with over 3,000 workers interviewed. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Fashion Checker found no public evidence Tapestry's suppliers pay a living wage; KnowTheChain 2023 forced labour score 16/100; 34% response rate to 6 requests. 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 at Myanmar GiGi Leather Goods, a leather goods factory linked to Tapestry, reported sexual harassment, forced transfers, unreasonable targets and denial of permanent contracts (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2023-2024). Source
- About 2,000 workers, 60% of the workforce, were laid off at Luenthai Philippines, a bag factory supplying Tapestry, after buyers cut orders (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2024). Source
- China Labor Watch said workers at a striking Guangzhou handbag factory owed pension, housing fund and leave pay had made Coach products, among other brands (China Labor Watch, 2018). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Tapestry - Shop Ethical (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · FTI 2023 41%; LWG member; Transparency Pledge aligned; KnowTheChain 16/100
- Tapestry (formerly Coach) - BHRRC company profile · search the archive · No evidence of living wages; GiGi Leather Goods and Luenthai stories
- Tapestry Form 10-K, Fiscal 2026 · search the archive · Coach makers in fiscal 2026 primarily in Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and India; no vendor over 10%; Stuart Weitzman sold Aug 2025
- Tapestry FY2024 Modern Slavery Statement (Australian register) · search the archive · Partners in Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, China, India and others; annual Tier 1 audits; no modern slavery found
- Tapestry hits leather-sourcing goals (Leatherbiz) · search the archive · FY2025: 99% leather from LWG gold/silver tanneries; 95% of raw materials mapped and traceable
Published by Coach or its owner
- Tapestry Supplier List · search the archive · Tier 1 list covering at least 95% of Tier 1 suppliers, September 2026; also on Open Supply Hub
- Create Products with Care (Tapestry) · search the archive · Leather over 50% of raw materials; 97% from LWG gold/silver tanneries; cotton used, 90% organic/regenerative target
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Coach ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/coach, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded bags and accessories
Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Coach.