Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Danish design brand selling furniture, lighting and textiles.
We couldn't confirm where HAY makes most of its Danish design furniture and accessories.
Also worth knowing
Most homewares and appliances are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent HAY? Send a right of reply.
Compare HAY with another brand
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 unaudited production, probably in high-risk countries. 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 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsWhere homewares and appliances are usually made, such as China and India, 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, leather and timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: timber
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Probably made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
We couldn't confirm where HAY makes most of its products, so this shows where homewares and appliances are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 50% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 10% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Poland | 10% | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malaysia | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Modern slavery statement
- 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 cotton and leather in only a few products and doesn't show where they come from. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of them traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes HAY does not own factories; its products are made by contract suppliers, mostly in Europe, and it names no countries or factories. It says suppliers must meet its standards and that staff visit factories, but publishes no audit results. It is covered by MillerKnoll's group modern slavery statement, which does not name HAY entities. No living wage commitment is disclosed. HAY is FSC certified and says most wooden accessories are FSC, but gives no share for furniture; textiles carry OEKO-TEX labels and some leather is offered.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Covered by MillerKnoll's UK modern slavery statement (December 2024), which reports risk-based supplier audits and no forced or child labour cases found. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not listed | No MillerKnoll or Herman Miller statement on the Australian Modern Slavery Register. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Furniture makers are not assessed in Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report (latest edition 2026). View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Herman Miller profile lists only past modern slavery and supply chain disclosures, with no labour abuse allegations or response requests. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Herman Miller agrees to acquire majority interest in HAY A/S (SEC 8-K, 2019) · search the archive · Herman Miller (now MillerKnoll) takes a majority 67% interest in HAY, closing December 2019
- HAY environmental profile · search the archive · Most furniture made in Europe by suppliers; factory visits; aim of FSC-only wood; chrome-free leather variants
- A new HAY store opens in Surry Hills (Australian Design Review) · search the archive · HAY store in Sydney run by its Australian stockist Cult Design
Published by HAY or its owner
- HAY sustainability · search the archive · FSC licence FSC-C148805; increasing number of FSC-certified products; no production countries named
- HAY accessories with environmental focus · search the archive · Most wooden and paper accessories FSC certified; cotton textiles with OEKO-TEX Standard 100
- MillerKnoll modern slavery and human trafficking statement · search the archive · Dec 2024 group statement: in-house and outsourced production, risk-based third-party supplier audits, no forced or child labour found
- MillerKnoll global forest protection policy · search the archive · Prioritises FSC chain-of-custody suppliers; FSC licences for MillerKnoll and HAY; leather and rubber also covered; no certified share given
Company details
- Owned by
- MillerKnoll, Inc.
- Headquarters
- Denmark
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is HAY ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/hay, 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 HAY.