Labour Lens

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Based on what Hobbs publishes, with few independent checks. Researched with AI assistance against published rules. Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources · How we check

London womenswear brand selling dresses, tailoring and coats.

Hobbs can't show that the workers who make its products in Vietnam and India earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.

Better-graded suits and tailoring

Graded higher than Hobbs, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.

These are the closest to Good among suits and tailoring brands selling new goods. None has reached Good yet, and when one does it will show here. Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements, with 1 red flag.Open why it has this gradeClose why it has this grade
  • 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.

How grades are decided


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 India.
  • 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, silk and cashmere) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton

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

China, Vietnam, India and 9 more countries.Open where it's madeClose where it's made

Hobbs names some of the countries it makes in: China, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Portugal, Türkiye and Vietnam. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.

Where it's made, and conditions there
CountryWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
ChinaNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
VietnamSystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
IndiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
CambodiaNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
TürkiyeNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageVery high
IndonesiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
United KingdomRegular violationsClose to a living wageLow
Sri LankaSystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
MoroccoRegular violationsWell below a living wageLow
PortugalStrong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
BangladeshUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
PakistanUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageHigh

Evidence

4 things we found and what 2 independent sources say.Open the evidenceClose the 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.
  • Uses leather, silk and cashmere 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 Hobbs uses 67 first-tier factory sites in 12 countries; its top 10 (China, Morocco, India, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, the UK and Portugal) make 99.6% of volume, but shares per country are not published for the brand. Owner TFG London works with the Ethical Trading Initiative, Anti-Slavery International and the ITF, and relies on supplier-arranged third-party (SMETA) audits. The group names forced labour in China, child labour in India and low pay as high risks but has no living wage commitment or wage data. No confirmed labour abuses linked to Hobbs suppliers have been reported.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
UK Modern Slavery Statement RegistryStatement filedCovered by the TFG Brands (London) 2025/26 transparency statement: Hobbs uses 67 first-tier factory sites in 12 countries via 44 suppliers. View
Business & Human Rights Resource CentreOn fileCompany profile records one story (a Labour Behind the Label report on living wages at UK high street brands) with one response request, answered. View

Sources and actions

7 sources, company details, and how to send evidence or a right of reply.Open the sources and company detailsClose the sources and company details

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources
  1. Hobbs - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre · search the archive · One living wage story (Labour Behind the Label), one response request, 100% response rate
  2. TFG Brands (London) Transparency Statement 2025/26 · search the archive · Hobbs: 67 tier-one sites, 12 countries, 44 suppliers; top 10 countries are 99.6% of volume; no brand shares; no living wage commitment
  3. Hobbs accessories (Lyst) · search the archive · Hobbs leather belts and silk scarves sold as accessories alongside a mainly clothing range

Published by Hobbs or its owner

  1. UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry - TFG Brands (London) 2025 · search the archive · 2024/25 group statement: supplier-arranged third-party audits; forced labour risk in China; cotton purchases moved out of China
  2. Hobbs - Supply chains · search the archive · Supplier requirements follow the ETI Base Code; partners include ETI, Sedex, Segura, Quizrr and the ITF
  3. Hobbs - Manufacturing · search the archive · Says 100% of first and second-tier suppliers mapped; camel and cashmere knitwear shown
  4. Hobbs - Sustainability · search the archive · Over 50% of materials from 'more responsible' sources, no standards named; 3,000 workers trained on rights via Quizrr

Company details

Headquarters
United Kingdom
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Hobbs ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/hobbs, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

Something missing or wrong?

Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Hobbs.

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