Moleskine
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Milan brand of notebooks, planners and journals.
There's no proof Moleskine pays more than the legal minimum, which in Ecuador and Vietnam is well below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- 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 rightsSome of its products are made in Ecuador, Türkiye and China, 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: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: timber
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, partly in countries with poor worker rights
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Moleskine says which countries it makes its products in, but doesn't name the factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Slovenia | Strong protections | Not rated | Moderate |
| Germany | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Doesn't show where its timber comes from. Timber is linked to illegal logging linked to forced labour, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
Research notes Moleskine designs its products in Italy and has them made by suppliers, mainly in Ecuador, Vietnam, Turkey and China, with others in Slovenia, Germany and Japan; it gives no shares by country and no supplier list. Its 2025 report says 90.4% of purchases from key suppliers come from companies with SA8000 or equivalent social certification (BSCI or SMETA accepted) and that strategic suppliers belong to Sedex. Its notebooks are paper; it has used FSC-certified paper suppliers since 2008 but does not say what share of products is FSC certified. It reports no audit findings and has no living wage commitment.
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Moleskine owner buying Irish car parts business (Irish Times, 2025) · search the archive · D'Ieteren bought Moleskine in 2016 and owns it outright
- Moleskine notebooks - Officeworks · search the archive · Moleskine notebooks sold by Officeworks stores in Australia
Published by Moleskine or its owner
- Moleskine Sustainability Report 2025 · search the archive · Production mainly in EC, VN, TR, CN, SI, DE, JP; 90.4% key-supplier purchases SA8000 or equivalent; FSC since 2008; 425 staff
- Moleskine - Sustainable creativity · search the archive · FSC certified since 2008 (no share given); strategic suppliers Sedex members; 90.4% SA8000 or equivalent
- Where are Moleskine notebooks manufactured? (Moleskine FAQ) · search the archive · Designed in Italy, made by manufacturers in the Far East with social sustainability certificates
Company details
- Owned by
- D'Ieteren Group (Belgium)
- Headquarters
- Italy
- Employees
- About 425
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Moleskine ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/moleskine, last researched 3 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 Moleskine.