Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
Sydney women's fashion label selling dresses, workwear and separates.
Cue scored 11/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, and there's no proof it pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Cue? Send a right of reply.
Compare Cue with another brand
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 failing or very low rating (Ethical Fashion Report 11/100 in 2026). 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 rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh.
- 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) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Failing or very low score on an independent rating: Ethical Fashion Report 11/100 (2026)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Cue names some of the countries it makes in: China, Vietnam and India. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 52% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 31% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | 6% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 4% | 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
- 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.
Research notes Cue designs in Sydney and has its clothes made by tier 1 suppliers it cut to 16 in FY25; its latest statement puts production at 61% China, 38% Vietnam and 1% India and no longer mentions the 10 Australian makers listed in its FY24 statement. Suppliers get social audits at least every two years, but it publishes no supplier list or living wage commitment. Its Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation ended in December 2023. It scored 11/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report. The UK-owned company went into receivership in September 2026 and is closing stores while buyers bid.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Problem found | Scored 11 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, well below the 31.5 average (17 in 2024). View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | FY25 modern slavery statement: tier 1 suppliers cut to 16; production 61% China, 38% Vietnam, 1% India; audits at least every two years; no modern slavery found. View |
| Ethical Clothing Australia | Unclear | Accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia from 2010; ethical.org.au reports the accreditation ceased in December 2023, and the FY25 statement no longer mentions ECA or Australian makers. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Cue Clothing Co - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · 2026 Ethical Fashion Report score 11/100 (average 31.5); ECA accreditation ceased Dec 2023; owned by Hilco Capital since 2025
- More Cue Clothing and Veronika Maine stores to close (The Nightly) · search the archive · Oct 2026: receivers FTI closing 26 more stores; shortlist of bidders submitted non-binding offers
- Cue Clothing receivers to close five stores (Business News Australia) · search the archive · Cue placed in receivership and administration in September 2026 after Hilco Capital withdrew funding
Published by Cue or its owner
- Cue & Co Modern Slavery Statement FY25 · search the archive · 16 tier 1 suppliers; China 61%, Vietnam 38%, India 1% of production; audits every two years; no supplier list or living wage
- Cue Clothing Co Modern Slavery Statement FY24 · search the archive · 25 tier 1 suppliers (10 AU, 15 offshore); offshore China 61%, Vietnam 38%, India 1%
- Ethical Clothing Australia Week (Cue) · search the archive · Cue was the first brand accredited under the ECA trademark in 2010
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Cue ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/cue, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded everyday fashion
None of the everyday fashion brands we know to make workwear is Good yet. This is the strongest so far. The Social Studio, Middlemost and The Social Outfit are Good, but we don't know that they make workwear.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Cue.