Hydro Flask

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

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources

US brand selling insulated stainless steel bottles and tumblers.

There's no proof Hydro Flask pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.

Better-graded cookware and tableware

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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 unaudited production 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.

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 rightsSome of its products are made in countries such as China and India, 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
Met: High-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range

Red flags 2

Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
Red flag: Made partly 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

These are Helen of Troy's countries across all its brands; Hydro Flask doesn't say where its own products are made. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.

Where it's made, and conditions there
Country	Worker rights	Legal minimum wage	Forced labour risk
China	No guarantee of rights	Below a living wage	Moderate
Vietnam	Systematic violations	Well below a living wage	Moderate
Mexico	Regular violations	Below a living wage	Moderate
United States	Systematic violations	Below a living wage	Low
IndiaUsual for the industry	No guarantee of rights	Well below a living wage	High
PolandUsual for the industry	Regular violations	Close to a living wage	Moderate
IndonesiaUsual for the industry	No guarantee of rights	Well below a living wage	Moderate
MalaysiaUsual for the industry	No guarantee of rights	Below a living wage	Moderate

Evidence

What we found

No high-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
Modern slavery statement

Research notes Hydro Flask does not own factories; Helen of Troy buys all its products from unaffiliated manufacturers, most of them in China, Vietnam, Mexico and the US, with about 57% of the group's purchases from China in fiscal 2026 and some Hydro Flask bottle production moved to the Western Hemisphere. No split is given for Hydro Flask. The group's modern slavery statement says new suppliers get a social compliance audit, but no factory list, audit results or living wage commitment is published.

What independent sources say

Source	Result	Details
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report	Not covered	Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion and Electronics reports do not assess drinkware brands such as Hydro Flask. View
KnowTheChain	Not covered	KnowTheChain's apparel, ICT and food benchmarks do not cover Helen of Troy or Hydro Flask. View
Australian Modern Slavery Register	Unclear	No Australian modern slavery statement covering Hydro Flask or Helen of Troy was found on the register. View

Sources and actions

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources

Helen of Troy Form 10-K, fiscal 2026 (SEC) · search the archive · All products made by unaffiliated manufacturers mainly in China, Vietnam and Mexico; China about 57% of purchases in FY2026
Helen of Troy Form 10-Q, quarter ended 31 August 2026 · search the archive · Hydro Flask still in the portfolio; products bought from unaffiliated makers mostly in China, Vietnam, Mexico and the US
Helen of Troy sourcing shift away from China (Supply Chain Dive, 2025) · search the archive · Group moving production from China to Southeast Asia; some Hydro Flask bottle production moved to the Western Hemisphere
Housewares conglomerate buys Hydro Flask for $210M (Oregon Business) · search the archive · Helen of Troy bought Hydro Flask in 2016
Hydro Flask Flex Straw Bottle (Kathmandu Australia) · search the archive · Hydro Flask sold by Kathmandu, which has stores in Australia

Published by Hydro Flask or its owner

Helen of Troy Anti-Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · Group statement under California and UK law; new suppliers get a social compliance audit; no results disclosed
Hydro Flask corporate responsibility update and Helen of Troy Supplier Code · search the archive · Supplier code bans forced labour and recruitment fees; factories reviewed with corrective action plans; no factories named

Company details

Owned by: Helen of Troy Limited
Headquarters: United States
Last researched: 3 November 2026
Cite this page: Labour Lens, "Is Hydro Flask ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/hydro-flask, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method: Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

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