Nanoleaf
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Toronto-founded maker of modular LED light panels.
Nanoleaf can't show that the workers who make its products in Vietnam and the Philippines earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
Also worth knowing
It has no full independent audit.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Nanoleaf? Send a right of reply.
Compare Nanoleaf 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, a hidden, unaudited supply chain 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 China and the Philippines, 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: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- 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
Nanoleaf says which countries it makes its products in, but doesn't name the factories.
| 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 |
| Philippines | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
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 Nanoleaf's CEO says products are made in China, Vietnam and the Philippines, and Australian listings give China as the country of manufacture, but no factories, supplier list or split by country are published. No supplier code of conduct, audit results, modern slavery statement or living wage commitment were found. It has no RBA membership or certifications. OneRobotics, SwitchBot's parent, agreed in June 2026 to buy the company in four stages over about two years; completion of the first stage has not been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | Too small to be assessed in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Gimmy Chu, Nanoleaf (Homey Smart Home Founders blog) · search the archive · CEO says Nanoleaf produces in China, Vietnam and the Philippines; teams in Asia, Toronto and Paris.
- Nanoleaf acquired in $40 million deal (Inside Lighting, June 2026) · search the archive · June 2026 deal: OneRobotics to buy Nanoleaf for about US$40.5m in four stages over 24 months; 2025 revenue about US$30.9m.
- Nanoleaf Shapes Triangles Starter Kit (Officeworks) · search the archive · Sold by Officeworks in Australia; country of manufacture China.
- Nanoleaf Hexagons now available at JB Hi-Fi (EFTM, 2020) · search the archive · Nanoleaf sold through JB Hi-Fi in Australia.
- Nanoleaf: Big innovation in a small light bulb (Global Sources) · search the archive · Supply chain rooted in Shenzhen, working with partner factories.
- OneRobotics signs US$40.54 million four-stage deal to take control of Nanoleaf (Tiger Brokers) · search the archive · Definitive agreement; first closing (59.9%) subject to conditions, long-stop date 15 May 2027; may not proceed in full
Company details
- Owned by
- OneRobotics (SwitchBot's Hong Kong-listed parent) agreed in June 2026 to buy Nanoleaf in four stages
- Headquarters
- Canada
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Nanoleaf ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/nanoleaf, 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 Nanoleaf.