Isto
Partly verifiedIsto isn't doing enough to protect workers: there's no proof workers earn a living wage, and its supply chain isn't independently checked. It does have some safeguards, as it publishes its supplier list.
Last researched 9 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 3 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 0 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 0
None found.
Where it's made
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Strong protections | Below a living wage | Low |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- Cotton is linked to forced labour (Xinjiang, Turkmenistan) and child labour in several growing regions.
- Publishes supplier list
ISTO. is a Lisbon brand founded in 2017 that makes its clothing in Portugal and names the 35 factories and mills it works with, such as Junius Têxteis and NGS Malhas in Barcelos. Product pages show the labour cost of each item (for example €5.11 for a €55 Supima T-shirt), and the brand runs public tours of its partner factories in northern Portugal. Its organic cotton is GOTS certified, but much of the range uses linen, wool, cashmere, leather and non-organic cotton, and the brand publishes no social audit results, worker wage levels, code of conduct or living wage commitment. No labour problems have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Not listed | No B Corp certification is listed for ISTO. on brand profiles or its own site. View ↗ |
| Fair Wear | Not listed | ISTO. is not listed as a Fair Wear member brand. View ↗ |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Not listed | ISTO. is not among the 250 large brands ranked in the Fashion Transparency Index. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No allegations against ISTO. or its named suppliers appear on the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. View ↗ |
Sources (12)
- ISTO. homepage · archived copy · Brand says its clothing is transparently made in Portugal and links to price breakdown, factories and transparency pages.
- ISTO. Our Factories · archived copy · Names 35 factories and suppliers, including Portuguese factories and Italian fabric mills (e.g. Candiani, Manteco, Tessuti di Sondrio); no audits, social certifications or wages are given.
- ISTO. About · archived copy · Brand says all its suppliers hold GOTS certification and that it works only with factories that meet high standards of social responsibility and labour policy, without naming any social standard or au
- ISTO. Supima T-shirt product page · archived copy · Cost breakdown shows labour €5.11 of a €55 price; made by Junius Têxteis with yarn from NGS, both in Barcelos, Portugal; no certification listed for this Supima cotton product.
- ISTO. Heavyweight T-shirt product page · archived copy · Organic cotton is described as GOTS certified, with a certificate download; no audit or wage information.
- ISTO. All products · archived copy · Range includes organic cotton (the most common material) alongside linen, cashmere, merino wool, veg-tanned leather and conventional or recycled cotton.
- ISTO convida a visitar as suas fábricas a norte (Time Out Lisboa, 2022) · archived copy · Factourism Day visits to 13 partner factories in northern Portugal with 20 to 340 staff each; no information on working conditions or pay.
- NGS Malhas supplier profile (Performance Days) · archived copy · ISTO.'s yarn and knit supplier NGS Malhas holds GOTS, GRS, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and RWS; no SA8000, amfori BSCI or SMETA listed.
- Conheça a ISTO., a marca portuguesa inspirada na sustentabilidade (Forbes Portugal, 2023) · archived copy · Founded 2017 by three partners; more than 25 staff; about 18 factories; production in Portugal or at most elsewhere in Europe; cotton GOTS certified; website publishes cost and margin breakdown.
- ISTO. pioneering cost transparency (OPUMO) · archived copy · All clothing made in Portugal; yearly published cost breakdown of a popular item; factory tours in northern Portugal; GOTS required of suppliers; no audit or wage figures.
- ISTO. on Good On You · archived copy · Rated Good overall with a People score of 4 out of 5; final production in Portugal and Italy; some of its supply chain GOTS certified; traces most of its supply chain; no evidence of a code of conduct
- ISTO. on Eco-Stylist · archived copy · Rates Fair Labor as 'Fair'; notes that ISTO. has no published code of conduct and gives no wage figures or verification.
Last researched 9 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.