Ksubi
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Sydney-founded denim and streetwear label.
We couldn't confirm where Ksubi makes most of its premium denim and streetwear.
Also worth knowing
Most clothes and shoes are made in countries such as China and Bangladesh, where pay is usually below a living wage and unions are heavily restricted.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain, probably 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.
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 rightsWhere clothes and shoes are usually made, such as China and Bangladesh, 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: High-risk raw materials (cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, probably mostly in countries with poor worker rights
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
We couldn't confirm where Ksubi makes most of its products, so this shows where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh | 20% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 10% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Cambodia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| Indonesia | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Pakistan | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Doesn't show where its cotton comes from. Cotton is linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and Turkmenistan, and child labour in several growing regions, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
Research notes Ksubi publishes no supplier list, factory locations or modern slavery statement and says nothing on audits or wages. Its site says its denim fabric comes from mills in Portugal, Turkey and China but not where garments are sewn; reviews say most jeans are made in China, and its 2025 KSELVEDGE line is made in Europe from Italian Candiani denim. Its jeans are mostly cotton with no fibre origin shown. It isn't in the Ethical Fashion Report; Good On You rated it 'We avoid' (people 1/5) in 2023.
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Ksubi - Good On You · search the archive · Rated 'We avoid', people 1/5; does not share enough on labour policies (April 2023)
- Ksubi CEO Craig King talks store expansion (Inside Retail, 2025) · search the archive · Mostly US-focused label returning to Australia with Sydney and Melbourne stores in 2024
- KSUBI's KSELVEDGE Collection Is Made for Denim Enthusiasts (Hypebeast, 2025) · search the archive · KSELVEDGE line made in Europe from three European mills incl. Candiani; 'Made in Europe' tags
- Ksubi aussie brand makes comeback with LA know-how (California Apparel News, 2014) · search the archive · After 2013 restructuring Ksubi moved headquarters and production to Los Angeles
- Ksubi Chitch Runaway Ripped (Feature) · search the archive · Jeans 100% cotton, made with Turkish stretch denim
- Ksubi - Wikipedia · search the archive · Founded in Sydney 1999; split from General Pants in 2020 into Ksubi Sales International led by Craig King
Published by Ksubi or its owner
- FAQ's - Ksubi · search the archive · Denim fabrics from mills in Portugal, Turkey and China; indigo denim from Turkey; no garment factory locations given
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Ksubi ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/ksubi, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded everyday fashion
None of the everyday fashion brands we know to make jeans is Good yet. These are the strongest so far. The Social Studio, Middlemost and The Social Outfit are Good, but we don't know that they make jeans. 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 Ksubi.