Iittala
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Finnish design brand selling glassware, vases and tableware.
Unsafe working conditions were documented in Iittala's supply chain in 2013, which it has only partly put right, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, clear breaches of labour conditions and unaudited production 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 (unsafe conditions, last recorded in 2013) 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 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsA confirmed problem counts against it: unsafe conditions, last recorded in 2013
- 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 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wageShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Clear breaches of labour conditions
- Red flag: 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
Iittala names some of the countries it makes in: Finland, Thailand, Romania, China and Vietnam. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.
| 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 |
| Finland | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Romania | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| 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
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
Research notes Most Iittala glass is mouth-blown or pressed at Fiskars Group's own Iittala factory in Finland, while ceramics are made in Thailand and Romania and some items are bought from contract makers in China, Vietnam and the Baltic states; no production shares are published. Fiskars Group audits suppliers through amfori BSCI and Sedex but publishes no supplier list, audit results or living wage commitment. A 2013 Finnwatch probe found poor safety and unpaid overtime at a Thai glassworks making Kastehelmi pieces.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Covered by Fiskars Group's 2025 modern slavery statement: about 140 finished goods suppliers, amfori BSCI and Sedex membership, no confirmed forced or child labour in 2025. View |
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Problem found | Yle reported Finnwatch's 2013 findings of poor safety and unpaid overtime at a Thai glassworks making Iittala Kastehelmi pieces. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion and Electronics reports do not assess homewares brands like Iittala. 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? |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | A 2013 Finnwatch investigation of a Thai glassworks near Bangkok making Iittala's Kastehelmi range found extreme heat, missing protective gear for glassblowers, too few breaks and unpaid overtime (Yle, 2013). Source · search the archive | PartlyFiskars said unpaid overtime issues had been investigated and fixed and agreed to arrange safety training with the factory; no compensation was reported. |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Iittalan ja Marimekon designlasia valmistetaan huonoissa oloissa Thaimaassa (Yle) · search the archive · Finnwatch 2013: heat, no goggles, few breaks, unpaid overtime at Thai glassworks making Kastehelmi; Fiskars response
- Beautiful Marimekko and Iittala designs made in Thai sweatshop conditions (ScandAsia) · search the archive · Same 2013 Finnwatch findings; Fiskars said pay issues fixed and agreed mask-wear training
- Iittala Aino Aalto Tumbler - David Jones · search the archive · Iittala sold by David Jones in Australia
Published by Iittala or its owner
- Fiskars Group - Iittala · search the archive · Most glass made at the Iittala glass factory in Finland; ceramics in Thailand and Romania; contract makers in China, Vietnam, Baltics
- Fiskars plans to expand the Iittala factory and centralize glass manufacturing (2013) · search the archive · Group glass production centralised at the Iittala factory in Finland from 2014
- Get to know Business Area Fiskars - investor presentation, Nov 2025 · search the archive · Business Area Vita (incl. Iittala) about 60% own manufacturing, 40% sourcing
- Fiskars Group Supply Chain Due Diligence and Modern Slavery Statement 2025 · search the archive · About 140 finished goods suppliers; amfori BSCI and Sedex member; no confirmed forced or child labour in 2025
Company details
- Owned by
- Fiskars Group (Finland)
- Headquarters
- Finland
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Iittala ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/iittala, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded cookware and tableware
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Iittala.