Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Californian company designing PC cases and coolers.
We couldn't find where NZXT makes most of its PC cases, coolers and gaming PCs, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most electronics are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent NZXT? Send a right of reply.
Compare NZXT 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, unaudited production, probably 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 rightsWhere electronics are usually made, such as China and Malaysia, 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: Probably made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- 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
We couldn't confirm where NZXT makes most of its products, so this shows where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 55% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | 10% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Malaysia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South Korea | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| India | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
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 NZXT designs its products in California and has them made by contract manufacturers, but it does not say which factories or countries make them. Its current legal pages carry no modern slavery statement, supply-chain disclosure, supplier code, audit results or conflict-minerals report, though an earlier version of its site posted a UK Modern Slavery Act statement. It is not an RBA member and has no living wage commitment. No labour abuses linked to its products have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | NZXT is not in Baptist World Aid's Electronics Industry Report, whose last edition was in 2016 and covered larger brands. View |
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | NZXT is not among the companies assessed in KnowTheChain's 2025 ICT benchmark, which covers the largest ICT companies. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- NZXT company profile (Employbl) · search the archive · Based in City of Industry, California; founded 2004; US$100M Series A in December 2021 with Francisco Partners
- PLE Computers - NZXT Kraken Plus RGB 360mm · search the archive · Sold by PLE Computers, which has stores in Western Australia
- PC Case Gear - NZXT cases · search the archive · NZXT cases sold by Australian retailer PC Case Gear
Published by NZXT or its owner
- NZXT Legal · search the archive · Legal pages list warranty, privacy and terms only; no modern slavery, supply-chain or conflict-minerals disclosure
- NZXT Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement (former site) · search the archive · Earlier UK Modern Slavery Act statement page, now redirecting to the home page
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is NZXT ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/nzxt, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded laptops and computers
No laptops and computers brand selling new goods is Good yet. This is the strongest so far. Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent NZXT.