Miyabi
Good. Shows the people who make its products are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Zwilling's brand of Japanese kitchen knives made in Seki.
Miyabi makes its kitchen knives in its own factories in Japan, where labour laws are strong and legal wages are close to a living wage.
Also worth knowing
It publishes a modern slavery statement, and shows where its materials and parts come from.
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Why it's graded Good
- Met: Meets all 7 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
| Star | Awarded for | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pays above a living wage | Not earned | |
| Gives workers a real voice | Not earned | |
| Open supply chain | Not earned | |
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities | Not earned |
3 stars for the first way it goes above and beyond, and one more for each further way, up to 6. About stars
Good requirements 7 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in Japan are close to a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standardsPresumed from where it's made, not audited
- Met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneEarlier stages shown
- 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 listMakes its products in its own factories
- Met: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeOnly in a few products: timber
Red flags 0
None found.
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Miyabi's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product made with timber: On Track
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where it's made
From Miyabi's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses timber in only a few products, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good. It doesn't show where its timber comes from. The "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Modern slavery statement
- Shows where its earlier production stages happen (materials and components), and they're in low-risk countries or independently audited
Research notes Zwilling says all Miyabi knives are made at its own factory in Seki, Japan, which it bought in 2004. It describes the SG2 steel in its premium ranges as Japanese steel, and some ranges have wooden handles such as birch, but no timber sourcing details or supplier list are given. Parent Zwilling's 2024 group modern slavery statement covers its Japanese plant; Zwilling is an amfori BSCI member whose audits cover part of its Asian purchasing, but there is no living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Covered by the Werhahn Group's UK Modern Slavery Act statement for 2024 (signed June 2025), which names Japan among its consumer goods production countries. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Baptist World Aid does not rate cookware brands. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Miyabi Japanese knives from Zwilling (The Caterer, 2009) · search the archive · Miyabi knives crafted in Seki, Japan
- Miyabi 5000MCD santoku (MyGoodKnife) · search the archive · Birch handle; made at Zwilling's own factory in Seki, Japan
- Miyabi 2 piece knife set (Myer) · search the archive · Miyabi knives sold in Myer stores in Australia
Published by Miyabi or its owner
- Miyabi: the brand (Zwilling) · search the archive · Miyabi knives are made in Seki, Japan: 'All MIYABI knives are still produced there today'
- Zwilling: Proudly made with heart and hand · search the archive · Miyabi knives made by craftsmen at the group's Seki factory
- Miyabi Artisan 6-inch chef's knife (Zwilling) · search the archive · Handcrafted in Seki, Japan; SG2 (MC63) core described as Japanese steel; country of origin Japan
- Werhahn Group UK Modern Slavery Act statement 2024 (June 2025) · search the archive · Group statement; consumer goods made in Japan among others; amfori BSCI member since 2017; no living wage commitment
Company details
- Headquarters
- Japan
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Miyabi ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/miyabi, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Good 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 Miyabi.