Lowepro
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Brand of camera bags, backpacks and cases.
There's no proof Lowepro pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Lowepro? Send a right of reply.
Compare Lowepro with another brand
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 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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Cambodia, where 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: 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
These are Videndum's countries across all its brands; Lowepro doesn't say where its own products are made. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Costa Rica | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| Cambodia | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | 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.
- Modern slavery statement
- 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 Lowepro bags are made by third-party manufacturers, managed by supply chain teams in Hong Kong and China, according to Videndum's 2017 acquisition announcement. Videndum's group modern slavery statement names China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Costa Rica as lower-cost production countries and describes on-site supplier inspections, but does not mention Lowepro by name and publishes no supplier list, audit results or living wage commitment. Lowepro set a target for 80% of fabric to be recycled or solution-dyed by 2024 but has not reported the result.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Videndum plc publishes a UK Modern Slavery Act statement covering its group (December 2025); it names China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Costa Rica as lower-cost production countries. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Not listed in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (11th edition); the brand and its owner have no score. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- Lowepro Adventura TLZ20 III at Ted's Cameras · search the archive · Lowepro bags sold by Ted's Cameras, which has stores across Australia
Published by Lowepro or its owner
- Vitec Group: acquisition of JOBY and Lowepro (September 2017) · search the archive · All Lowepro and JOBY products are made by third-party manufacturers; supply chain teams in Hong Kong and China; Lowepro designed in California
- Lowepro Green Line · search the archive · Target of 80% of fabric by mass recycled or solution-dyed by 2024; no result reported
- Videndum modern slavery statement (December 2025) · search the archive · Group statement names Costa Rica, China, Vietnam and Cambodia as lower-cost production countries; on-site supplier inspections
Company details
- Owned by
- Videndum plc
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Lowepro ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/lowepro, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Other TV and audio brands
Nothing we've rated in TV and audio is better than Lacks transparency yet.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Lowepro.