Fella Hamilton
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Family-owned Melbourne womenswear label selling dresses and knitwear.
We couldn't confirm where it makes the rest, and most clothes and shoes are made in countries such as China and Bangladesh, where the legal minimum is below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 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 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rights47% 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, partly 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
Fella Hamilton names some of the countries it makes in: Australia. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 45% | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | 17% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | 11% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | 8% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | 4% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | 4% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | 3% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | 3% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Makes part of its range in its own 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 Fella Hamilton makes about 45% of its garments each year in Australia, largely at its own factory in Moorabbin, Melbourne, and Ethical Clothing Australia accredits these lines, checking award wages and entitlements. The other roughly 55% is made offshore; the company does not name the countries or suppliers or say how it checks conditions there. It publishes no supplier list or modern slavery statement, which is not required at its size. No labour abuses have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ethical Clothing Australia | Certified | Listed in Ethical Clothing Australia's current directory for specific product lines made in Australia; accreditation does not cover garments made offshore. View |
| Fair Wear | Not listed | No Fair Wear membership is mentioned by the company or in coverage of it. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not graded in the Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No supply chain labour allegations against Fella Hamilton appear in news or NGO reporting. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Ethical Clothing Australia: Fella Hamilton · search the archive · Listed in ECA's directory (checked Nov 2026) with the 'Specific Product Lines Made in Australia' badge; accredited lines designed in Melbourne and made locally.
- Australian Made: Fella Hamilton case study (2019) · search the archive · Australian Made licensee; a large portion of the range made locally; only Australian Made products carry the logo.
- Good Shopping Guide: Fella Hamilton · search the archive · Rated B-; some product lines made in Australia under ECA accreditation; no criticisms listed (updated August 2025).
- SBS News: How a fashion label founded by a Holocaust survivor came to help Australian health workers (2020) · search the archive · Factory in Moorabbin with about 40 staff; run by David and Sharon Hamilton.
- Ragtrader: 45 years strong · search the archive · In 2014 the majority of the fashion range was produced at its Moorabbin manufacturing plant.
- AMGC: Fella Hamilton member profile · search the archive · Manufactures approximately 45% of garments in Australia each year; about 165 employees across retail stores and head office.
Published by Fella Hamilton or its owner
- Fella Hamilton: Our Story · search the archive · Local manufacturer making a substantial portion of its clothes in Melbourne; Australian Made collection accredited by ECA.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 165
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Fella Hamilton ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/fella-hamilton, last researched 3 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 Fella Hamilton.