Crate & Barrel
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
US retailer of furniture, kitchenware and home decor.
There's no proof Crate & Barrel pays more than the legal minimum, which in the United States is below a living wage.
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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, the United States 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, leather and timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: timber
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
Crate & Barrel names some of the countries it makes in: the United States. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| 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
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- Doesn't show where its timber comes from. Timber is linked to illegal logging linked to forced labour, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
- Uses leather in only a few products and doesn't show where it comes from. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
- Traces or certifies most but not all of its cotton. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Crate & Barrel says its products are made in 42 countries across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe, but names no countries beyond some US upholstery partners and publishes no factory list. Vendors must follow the amfori BSCI code; factories in risk countries need a valid social audit (BSCI A or B, SA8000 or Otto Group protocol), and Xinjiang and Uzbek cotton are banned. About 90% of its cotton home textiles are certified organic and it targets 60% FSC-certified furniture by 2027. No living wage commitment is published.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | No Australian entity; files a Canadian forced and child labour report instead (report to Feb 2026: no cases found). View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Homewares retailers are not assessed in Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
Published by Crate & Barrel or its owner
- CBH Vendor Operations Guide 2026 · search the archive · amfori BSCI code; risk-country factories need BSCI A/B, SA8000 or Otto protocol; Xinjiang and Uzbek cotton banned; leather rules
- Canada Fighting Against Forced & Child Labour report 2025-26 · search the archive · Report for Mar 2025-Feb 2026: made across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe; no forced or child labour cases found
- Crate & Barrel Canada - Social Responsibility · search the archive · About 90% of cotton home textiles certified organic; FSC partner, 60% FSC furniture target by 2027; named US upholstery makers
- Crate & Barrel - About Us · search the archive · Member of the Otto Group; about 7,500 associates; stores in US and Canada plus franchises
- Crate & Barrel - American Made Furniture · search the archive · Products produced in 42 countries
- Crate & Barrel - International Order Quote · search the archive · Ships eligible orders of US$5,000+ internationally on request; no Australian stores
- California Transparency in Supply Chains Act disclosure · search the archive · Works with Otto Group and third-party auditors; announced or unannounced audits
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Employees
- About 7,500
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Crate & Barrel ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/crate-and-barrel, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded furniture
None of the furniture brands we know to make furniture is Good yet. These are the strongest so far. Le Klint is Good, but we don't know that it makes furniture.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Crate & Barrel.