Fashion Nova
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
Los Angeles online fast-fashion retailer selling low-priced clothing.
There's no proof Fashion Nova pays more than the legal minimum, which in the United States 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 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (unpaid or underpaid wages, last recorded in 2019) is more than 5 years old.
- 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 countries such as China and Bangladesh, 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: 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: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Fashion Nova names some of the countries it makes in: the United States. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| CambodiaUsual 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
- 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 Fashion Nova does not publish a supplier list, a list of production countries, a living wage commitment or audit results. It said in 2019 that less than half of its clothes were made in Los Angeles (down from about 80% in 2018) and has not named the countries that make the rest, so no production shares are shown. Its supply chain statement only says vendors sign agreements to follow the law and that it may require third-party audits. It is not rated in the Ethical Fashion Report and scores near zero on the Fashion Transparency Index.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Listed | Fashion Nova garments were found in about 50 Department of Labor wage investigations of Los Angeles factories from 2016 to 2019, which found $3.8 million in back wages owed. View |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Scored 0.8 out of 250 points (under 1%) in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, among the lowest of all brands rated. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | US Department of Labor investigations from 2016 to 2019 found Fashion Nova clothes in dozens of Los Angeles factories that owed hundreds of workers $3.8 million in back wages, some paid as little as $2.77 an hour (New York Times, 2019). Source · search the archive | PartlyDenied responsibility; had 700+ vendors pledge to pay California wages, added vendor penalties and in 2020 random audits and a hotline; no back pay reported. |
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.
- In December 2019 the Garment Worker Center filed wage claims with the California Labor Commissioner for 22 workers who said they sewed Fashion Nova clothes for as little as $5.50 an hour without overtime pay; Fashion Nova called the claims false (ABC7, 2019). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- New report claims Fashion Nova underpays workers in LA facilities (FashionUnited) · search the archive · NYT 2019: DOL investigations 2016-2019 found $3.8m back wages owed to hundreds of workers; pay as low as $2.77/hour
- Fashion Nova's expediency traced to illegally low wages, NYT reports (Retail Brew) · search the archive · Fashion Nova clothes appeared in 50 DOL factory wage investigations from 2016; its labels were the most often found
- Fashion Nova explains DOL investigation (California Apparel News) · search the archive · Over 700 vendors signed agreements to pay California wages; probation and suspension for violations; denies responsibility
- Fashion Nova is coming under fire for alleged wage violations (The Fashion Law) · search the archive · About 80% of clothes US-made in 2018; brand now says less than half made in Los Angeles
- Garment maker Fashion Nova drawing complaints from sewers (ABC7) · search the archive · Dec 2019: Garment Worker Center filed Labor Commissioner claims for 22 workers; company denies
Published by Fashion Nova or its owner
- California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (Fashion Nova) · search the archive · Vendors sign compliance agreements; company reserves right to require third-party audits; no countries or living wage
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Fashion Nova ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/fashion-nova, 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
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 Fashion Nova.