Labour Lens

Kipling

Lacks transparency

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

Clothing & footwear

Partly verified: what this means

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources

Belgian bag brand known for crinkled-nylon bags with a monkey charm.

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

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

  • Not met: Meets 4 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 4 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, Bangladesh and Vietnam.
  • 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
  • Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listPublishes its supplier list
  • Met: High-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range

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

From VF's supplier list, which covers Kipling and its sister brands. Kipling publishes no breakdown of its own, so the countries shown are the group's. 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
BangladeshNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
VietnamSystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
CambodiaNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
IndonesiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
IndiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
TürkiyeUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageVery high
PakistanUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageHigh

Evidence

What we found

  • No high-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
  • Publishes supplier list
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Independent social audits of all its main factories
  • Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)

Research notes Kipling is still a VF Corporation brand; VF explored selling its packs brands in 2023 but its FY2026 annual report still lists Kipling. Its bags are made by independent suppliers in VF's network of about 216 factories in about 24 countries, mainly Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and China; no Kipling split is published. VF publishes a factory list, audits suppliers and scored 46/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, but has no time-bound living wage target and has not signed the International Accord.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportListedOwner VF Corporation scored 46 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5), after 55 in 2024; Kipling is not listed separately. View
Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution)ListedParent VF Corporation scored 66% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, well above the 26% average. View
KnowTheChainListedParent VF Corporation scored 42 out of 100 in the 2023 KnowTheChain apparel and footwear benchmark (average 21). View
UK Modern Slavery Statement RegistryListedCovered by VF Corporation's FY26 modern slavery statement (UK, Canada and California), which names Kipling among its brands. View

Sources and actions

Sources 6

Show all 6 sources
  1. VF Corporation - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · 2026 Ethical Fashion Report: VF Corporation 46/100 (avg 31.5); FTI 2023 66%; KnowTheChain 2023 42/100; no Accord
  2. VF Corporation Form 10-K FY2026 · search the archive · Kipling is a VF brand; products made mainly by ~216 independent contractor facilities, primarily in Asia
  3. VF Factory List · search the archive · Factory list for Jan-Jun 2026 covering 100% of tier 1 facilities, updated twice a year
  4. VF Corp. to sell JanSport, Eastpak and Kipling (Shop Eat Surf, 2023) · search the archive · In 2023 VF began a process to sell its packs brands incl. Kipling; no buyer named
  5. Kipling backpacks - Lyst Australia · search the archive · Kipling bags sold online to Australian shoppers

Published by Kipling or its owner

  1. VF FY26 Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · Covers Kipling; VF's top sourcing countries by volume Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, no brand split (read 18 Oct 2026); no living wage target

Company details

Headquarters
Belgium
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Kipling ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/kipling, 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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Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.

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Something missing or wrong?

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