Nisolo
Partly verifiedNisolo raises serious concerns: workers in the countries clothing & footwear usually comes from, such as China and Bangladesh are very unlikely to earn a living wage, and unions and workers' rights are heavily restricted in the countries clothing & footwear usually comes from, such as China and Bangladesh, with no independent audits.
Last researched 9 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 1 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 0 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 3
- Does not pay a living wage
- Hidden or unaudited supply chain (no certification or documentation, or major production in countries with poor worker rights without independent audits)
- Failing or very low scores on independent ratings
Where it's made: not disclosed
Showing where clothing & footwear products are usually made instead.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China 30% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh 20% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
| Vietnam 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India 10% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | High |
| Cambodia 8% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye 7% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| Indonesia 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Pakistan 5% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | High |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- Cotton is linked to forced labour (Xinjiang, Turkmenistan) and child labour in several growing regions.
- Uses high-risk raw materials (e.g. leather tanning, mica, artisanal gold)
- Low or failing score on an independent rating
- Uses higher-risk raw materials such as leather that aren't traced to the farm. This is noted as a risk but doesn't decide the grade.
Nisolo went into foreclosure in January 2025 and its brand was bought by Project Bound Inc., led by IRL Ventures. The Peru factory it once owned, where Accountable had verified individual living wages, closed by January 2025. The brand no longer appears in the B Corp directory and does not say where its shoes are now made. Its sustainability page still describes the closed Peru factory and older living wage figures. Earlier wage claims for its partner factories in Mexico, Brazil and Kenya were checked by Nisolo itself, not independently. Good On You's 'Very Poor' People score reflects this lack of current information.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Not listed | Certified as a B Corp from 2017, but no longer listed in the B Corp directory; B Lab says the certification has lapsed. View ↗ |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Found | Brazil cattle and footwear appear on the US Department of Labor list of goods made with child or forced labour; leather from Brazil is not listed separately. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No reports about Nisolo appear on the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. View ↗ |
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.
- Eco-Stylist reported in 2025 that when Nisolo's Peru factory closed in 2024-25, severance payments to its 57 workers stopped after the company's foreclosure, that about 28% who rejected the offer had received no severance, and that the new owners will not honour severance claims from before their takeover. Source ↗
Sources (8)
- Nisolo - Good On You · archived copy · Rated 'Not good enough' overall, People 1/5 'Very Poor', Planet 2/5, Animals 3/5, updated 6 September 2026; People score given because Nisolo does not publish sufficient information
- What Happened to Nisolo? Why This Once Gold-Rated Sustainable Brand Lost Our Trust - Eco-Stylist · archived copy · Foreclosure January 2025 and takeover by Project Bound Inc. in February 2025; Peru factory (Creatra, 57 workers) paused mid-2024 and closed by January 2025; severance dispute; B Lab says Nisolo is no
- How Nisolo's new CEO plans to turn the footwear brand around - Modern Retail · archived copy · IRL Ventures bought the brand and IP in February 2025 after foreclosure, without taking on prior liabilities; new CEO Taryn Jones Laeben; continues sourcing leather from tanneries in Mexico
- Nisolo - PitchBook · archived copy · Acquired by Project Bound in 2025; headquartered in Nashville
- Nisolo - Sustainability · archived copy · Older content describing an owned Peru factory audited by Accountable for individual living wages, 100% of Tier 1 workers on an individual living wage, internally assessed wages in Mexico, Brazil and
- How Nisolo's sustainability label could set a new standard - Glossy · archived copy · Sustainability Facts label launched December 2021, designed by Nisolo itself with no named outside verifier
- Nisolo and Able challenge the industry to share lowest wages - FashionUnited · archived copy · Nisolo co-launched the Lowest Wage Challenge with Able in 2019, with Accountable named as the verification partner
- Nisolo - official store · archived copy · Brand is still trading in 2026; says it is a Leather Working Group member; names no production countries
Last researched 9 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.