Incipio
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
US brand of protective phone and tablet cases.
There's no proof Incipio pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. 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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Malaysia, 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: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From product labels; Incipio doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: cobalt, tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold mining carry child and forced labour risk (DR Congo, Indonesia), and assembly overtime is widespread.
- Relies on metals such as cobalt, gold and tin from artisanal mines where miners, including children, face toxic dust, mercury exposure and deadly tunnel collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Incipio publishes no supplier list, factory countries or modern slavery statement. Its US site says Onward Brands LLC audits suppliers itself or through third parties, but gives no results, wage information or certifications. A US retailer lists China as the origin of at least one Incipio case. Armor Acquisition bought Incipio in 2021 and ran it as Vinci Brands; the brand now trades on its own site, run by Onward Brands LLC, alongside Survivor and Griffin.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Incipio was not rated in Baptist World Aid's last Electronics Industry Report (2016); the series has ended. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | No Incipio, Vinci Brands or Onward Brands statement was found on the Australian Modern Slavery Register. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse reports involving Incipio or its suppliers were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Incipio acquired by Armor Acquisition (Orange County Business Journal, 2021) · search the archive · 2021: Armor Acquisition LLC bought Incipio, Incase, Survivor and Griffin; brands now operate as Vinci Brands LLC
- Incipio Duo for iPhone 12 (OfficeCrave) · search the archive · Retailer lists country of origin as China for this Incipio case
- Incipio deals (OzBargain) · search the archive · Phonebot sold Incipio cases in 2025-2026 with pickup from its Melbourne store; earlier JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman deals
Published by Incipio or its owner
- Incipio official website · search the archive · Brand actively selling iPhone 17 cases in 2026, alongside Survivor and Griffin
- Incipio Terms of Service · search the archive · Website operated by Onward Brands LLC
- California Supply Chain Disclosure (Incipio) · search the archive · Onward Brands LLC runs risk-based supplier assessments and audits itself or via third parties; no countries, results or certifications given
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Incipio ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/incipio, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded phones
No phones brand selling new goods is Good yet. This is the strongest so far. Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Incipio.