Libratone
Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Danish-founded audio brand selling earbuds and speakers.
We couldn't find where Libratone makes most of its wireless earbuds and speakers, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most electronics are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
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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, unaudited production, probably 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 rightsWhere electronics are usually made, such as China and Malaysia, 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: Probably made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- 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
We couldn't confirm where Libratone makes most of its products, so this shows where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 55% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | 10% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Malaysia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South Korea | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| India | 5% | 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 Libratone gives no origin for its earbuds and speakers and publishes no supplier list, supplier code, modern slavery statement or audit results. A Hong Kong consortium held a majority stake from 2014; after a 2020 bankruptcy the brand was bought by Little Bird ApS, a group of Danish investors, and now sells mainly online and through a few retailers. No certifications, living wage commitment or reported labour abuses were found.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Libratone was not rated in Baptist World Aid's last Electronics Industry Report (2016); the series has ended. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Unclear | No Libratone statement was found on the UK modern slavery statement registry. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse reports involving Libratone or its suppliers were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Hong Kong consortium acquires wireless speaker firm Libratone (What Hi-Fi, July 2014) · search the archive · Hong Kong consortium took a majority stake in Libratone in 2014
- But not bankruptcy: Libratone is still going strong (Galaxus, November 2020) · search the archive · Little Bird ApS, a group of Danish investors, bought Libratone after its May 2020 bankruptcy; offices in Copenhagen
- Libratone CEO Liu Song at 2019 China Bluetooth earphone summit (52audio, September 2019) · search the archive · Danish-founded brand acquired by a Chinese team in 2014
- Libratone AIR+ 3 True Wireless In-Ear Headphones (Amazon.com.au) · search the archive · Libratone earbuds listed for sale online in Australia
Published by Libratone or its owner
- Libratone new company announcement (June 2020) · search the archive · Libratone A/S placed in bankruptcy 7 May 2020; ownership change completed
- Libratone AIR+ (2nd Gen) product page · search the archive · Current product range of true wireless noise-cancelling earbuds
Company details
- Owned by
- Little Bird ApS
- Headquarters
- Denmark
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Libratone ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/libratone, 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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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Libratone.