Marcs
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
Australian label selling smart casual clothing and bags.
Marcs' parent, Myer Holdings, scored 20/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, and there's no proof it pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
Better-graded bags and accessories
Graded higher than Marcs, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.
Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 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 a failing or very low rating (Ethical Fashion Report 20/100 in 2026, for the company it's rated with). 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 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rights96% of its products are made in countries such as China and India, 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
- 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 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: Failing or very low score on an independent rating: Ethical Fashion Report 20/100 (2026, the company it's rated with)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Myer Holdings' supplier list, which covers Marcs and its sister brands. Marcs publishes no breakdown of its own, so these are group-wide shares. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 78% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 10% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Bangladesh | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 4% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- 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 Marcs is still trading as a Myer-owned label; Myer tried to sell it in 2024 but kept it. Its products are made by outside suppliers within Myer's private-brand supply chain, which by spend is 77% China, 10% India, 7% Bangladesh and 3% Vietnam; these shares are Myer-wide, as no Marcs-only figures are published. Myer publishes a factory list, reviews SMETA/BSCI-style audits and has asked factories to work on living wage plans, but its China wage gap analysis found most pay minimum wage or more yet below a living wage, and it has no dated target.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Problem found | Owner Myer Holdings scored 20 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5), after 19 in 2024. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Covered by Myer's FY25 modern slavery statement (Marcs David Lawrence Pty Ltd is a Myer Retail entity); no modern slavery cases reported, 57 high-risk audit issues, mostly excessive overtime. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Shop Ethical: Myer Holdings Ltd · search the archive · 2026 Ethical Fashion Report: Myer Holdings scored 20/100 (average 31.5)
- Myer acquires Marcs, David Lawrence (Ragtrader, 2017) · search the archive · Myer bought the Marcs brand, IP and stock out of voluntary administration in April 2017
- Myer initiates sell-off process for three owned brands (Ragtrader, 2024) · search the archive · Marcs, David Lawrence and sass & bide put up for sale in February 2024
- Myer profits slashed (The New Daily, 2024) · search the archive · Sale of the three labels stopped; Myer kept them
Published by Marcs or its owner
- Myer Modern Slavery Statement 2025 · search the archive · Marcs David Lawrence Pty Ltd in Myer Retail; private brand spend China 77%, India 10%, Bangladesh 7%, Vietnam 3%; audits; living wage tracker
- Marcs at Myer · search the archive · Marcs still sold in 2026: women's and men's clothing, handbags and shoes
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Marcs ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/marcs, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Marcs.