Levi's
Harm on record. Has recent confirmed harm to workers that it hasn't put right.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
San Francisco denim brand known for its jeans and denim jackets.
In 2024, a Turkish supplier fired about 400 workers who struck for union rights and would not rehire union members.
Also worth knowing
Levi's has only partly put this right.
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Why it's graded Harm on record
- Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and clear breaches of labour conditions. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- Holds the grade back: It's Harm on record because of a serious confirmed problem from the last 5 years that it has only partly put right: union rights breach, last recorded in 2024.
Good requirements 3 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: abuse of workers, last recorded in 2019
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of forced labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
- 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
- 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: Clear breaches of labour conditions
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Levi's own disclosure: it publishes its supplier list. Its list covers only part of its range. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 27% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 19% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Vietnam | 16% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh | 16% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Pakistan | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
| Sri Lanka | 7% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | 3% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Signed the International Accord on garment factory safety
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- 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 Levi's clothing is made by independent contractors in about 23 countries. Its factory list (published since 2005) showed 559 factories at the end of 2025, led by China (87), India (84), Vietnam (60), Bangladesh (48), Sri Lanka (41) and Pakistan (36); the rest are spread across countries such as Mexico, Egypt and Türkiye. Every factory gets third-party assessments and it has signed the Bangladesh and Pakistan Accords. It has no time-bound living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Listed | Scored 53 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5), after 56 in 2024. View |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Scored 60% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, well above the 26% average. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Joint modern slavery statement for 2025 covers its Australian, Canadian and UK arms; sourcing from independent contractors in about 23 countries. View |
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Problem found | Worker Rights Consortium documented gender-based violence at Nien Hsing factories in Lesotho supplying Levi's (2019). View |
Confirmed issues 2
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? |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | About 400 workers who went on strike for union rights at Levi's supplier Özak Tekstil in Türkiye were fired in late 2023, and the Worker Rights Consortium found union members were still blocked from rehiring (CCC/WRC, 2024). Source · archived copy | PartlyCalled the firings a zero-tolerance breach and urged reinstatement, but kept ordering from the factory; no workers were reinstated as of 2024. |
| 2019 | A Worker Rights Consortium investigation found a pattern of sexual harassment and gender-based abuse at Nien Hsing jeans factories in Lesotho that supplied Levi's (WRC, 2019). Source · archived copy | PartlySigned binding agreements with Lesotho unions and women's groups in 2019, funding an independent complaints and investigation body at the factories. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Canada's ombudsperson for responsible enterprise opened an investigation in 2023 into complaints that Levi Strauss Canada's supply chain is linked to Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang; no finding has been reported (Ecotextile, 2023). Source
- In April 2026 the Clean Clothes Campaign and SOMO took Levi's to court in the Netherlands, claiming its labour rights promises mislead shoppers given the Özak Tekstil case; the case had not been heard (FashionUnited, 2026). Source
- In June 2026 a union at Mexican garment maker Delta Staff Manufacturing, reported to sew for Levi's, Old Navy and Gap, said 84 workers were fired without cause after a work stoppage and asked for a USMCA labour complaint (El CEO, 2026). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Levi Strauss & Co. - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · 2026 Ethical Fashion Report: Levi's scored 53/100 (average 31.5); FTI 2023 60%; Accord and Pakistan Accord signatory
- WRC: binding agreements on gender-based violence at Lesotho suppliers · archived copy · WRC found abuse and harassment at Nien Hsing factories; Levi's signed binding agreement in 2019
- Trail of broken promises: Levi's denies justice to unlawfully fired workers in Türkiye (CCC) · archived copy · About 400 strikers fired at Özak Tekstil; WRC found no reinstatement and union discrimination
- Levi's, less made in China (Modaes, 2026) · search the archive · 559 factories end 2025: China 87, India 84, Vietnam 60, Bangladesh 48, Sri Lanka 41, Pakistan 36
- Watchdog probes Levi's forced labour links (Ecotextile) · search the archive · Canadian ombudsperson opened Xinjiang forced labour probe into Levi Strauss Canada in 2023
- Maquiladora de Levi's, Old Navy y Gap enfrenta denuncias por presuntos despidos (El CEO, June 2026) · search the archive · Union says 84 workers fired at Delta Staff Manufacturing in Mexico, which makes clothes for Levi's; no brand response reported
Published by Levi's or its owner
- Levi Strauss & Co. Modern Slavery Statement FY2025 · search the archive · Contractors in about 23 countries; third-party assessments of every factory; no living wage commitment
Company details
- Owned by
- Levi Strauss & Co.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Levi's ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/levis, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Harm on record means
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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Levi's.