New Balance
Harm on record. Has recent confirmed harm to workers that it hasn't put right.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Privately owned Boston company selling running shoes and sneakers.
In 2024, migrant workers at two Taiwanese textile suppliers paid recruitment fees of up to US$6,000, an indicator of forced labour.
Also worth knowing
New Balance has only partly put this right.
Better-graded footwear
Graded higher than New Balance, 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 Harm on record
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no proof yet of a living wage and forced or child labour. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- Holds the grade back: It's Harm on record because of a serious confirmed problem from the last 5 years that it has only partly put right: forced labour, last recorded in 2024.
Good requirements 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: working towards one
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Vietnam and India.
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Not 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 2
- Red flag: No proof yet that it pays a living wage (it's working towards one)
- Red flag: Forced, slave or child labour found in or linked to its supply chain
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Gives workers a real voice |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From New Balance's own disclosure: it publishes its supplier list. Its list covers only part of its range. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes 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 |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Cambodia | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| United Kingdom | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Mexico | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- 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 New Balance runs its own factories in the US, the UK and Mexico, but most of its shoes and clothing come from 157 contract factories in 26 countries, with Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Cambodia, India and others named as higher-risk sourcing countries; it does not publish production shares by country. It lists its suppliers on Open Supply Hub, is accredited by the Fair Labor Association and scored 51/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, above the 31.5 average. It has published no living wage commitment, and no public evidence shows its suppliers pay a living wage.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Listed | Scored 51 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5), after 60 for apparel and 57 for footwear in 2024; it completed the survey. View |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Scored 46% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, above the 26% average. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Publishes an annual modern slavery statement; the 2025 statement reports 157 Tier 1 contract manufacturers in 26 countries and about 90% audited in 2025. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Profile notes no public evidence that New Balance suppliers pay a living wage (Fashion Checker) and lists 569 facilities on Open Supply Hub. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Two Taiwanese textile suppliers of New Balance were named in a Transparentem investigation that found forced labour indicators, including recruitment fees of up to US$6,000 paid by migrant workers (New Balance statement; Transparentem, 2025). | PartlyNew Balance joined a brand coalition to assess the two suppliers and require corrective action plans; no fee repayment by New Balance is reported. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Migrant workers at Atlanta MNF Garment and Jerash in Jordan, linked to New Balance, told Swedish newspaper Arbetaren in 2024 of shifts of up to 14 hours, no paid holidays and abuse over production targets (BHRRC, 2024). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- New Balance - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · FTI 2023 46%; FLA accredited; Transparency Pledge aligned
- Following the Thread - Labor Abuses in Taiwan's Textile Industry (Transparentem) · search the archive · Forced labour indicators and recruitment fees up to US$6,000 at Taiwan mills; New Balance a contacted buyer
- On the Mend (Transparentem, July 2026) · search the archive · Over US$4 million in fees returned by 2026; many buyers have not yet contributed
- Jordan: Apparel brands respond to allegations of migrant worker abuse (BHRRC) · search the archive · 2024 Arbetaren report of long hours and abuse at Jordan factories; New Balance asked to respond
- New Balance company profile (BHRRC) · search the archive · No public evidence of living wage; Transparency Pledge aligned; 569 facilities on Open Supply Hub
- New Balance Australia - Shop Ethical! (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Ethical Fashion Report 2026: 51/100, average 31.5, highest 94
Published by New Balance or its owner
- 2025 New Balance Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · Owned US, UK, Mexico factories; 157 Tier 1 suppliers in 26 countries; 2 Taiwan suppliers named in 2024 NGO probe
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Employees
- About 8,000
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is New Balance ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/new-balance, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Harm on record 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 New Balance.