Oakley
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources
EssilorLuxottica's sports eyewear brand.
There's no proof Oakley pays more than the legal minimum, which in China and the United States is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production in high-risk countries. 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 2 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 countries such as China and Bangladesh, 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
- Met: High-risk raw materials (cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeOnly in a few products: cotton and leather
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Oakley names some of the countries it makes in: China, Italy and the United States. 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 |
| Italy | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| CambodiaUsual 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 |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses cotton and leather in only a few products, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good. It doesn't show where they come from. The "Open supply chain" star needs all of them traced, certified or upcycled.
- Modern slavery statement
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- Being made in Italy doesn't count towards a living wage or audit here: Italian fashion and leather goods, where Milan prosecutors have found luxury brands' subcontractors exploiting migrant workers. It would need to publish its suppliers or have them independently audited.
Research notes Oakley's eyewear, its main product, is mostly made in EssilorLuxottica's own plants; eyewear sold in Australia comes mainly from plants in Italy, China and the US, with most from one plant in Danyang, China, but no Oakley factory list or production shares are published. Its apparel, footwear and accessories are made by outside suppliers that are not named. The group's modern slavery statements give few audit results, it has no living wage commitment and Oakley is not rated in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report. No confirmed labour abuses at factories making Oakley products are on public record.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Covered by the Luxottica Australia entities' 2024 modern slavery statement, which says Oakley apparel, footwear and accessories are made by outside manufacturers and reports no audit results. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Oakley - Good On You · search the archive · People rating 2/5; does not disclose all final production sites; no living wage evidence; appears to use leather (minorLeather)
- Oakley - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Owned 100% by EssilorLuxottica; no Ethical Fashion Report score; group is a Better Cotton member and has a modern slavery statement
- Transparency in supply chain disclosure (Ray-Ban / Luxottica) · search the archive · Luxottica makes most of its products in facilities it owns; supplier audit programme still being rolled out
Published by Oakley or its owner
- Luxottica South Pacific / Luxottica Retail Australia Modern Slavery Statement 2024 · search the archive · Frames made in Italy, China, Thailand, India, Japan, US, Brazil, Mexico; Oakley apparel outsourced; textiles a small share (minorCotton)
- Luxottica South Pacific / Luxottica Retail Australia Modern Slavery Statement 2021 · search the archive · Eyewear sold in Australia made mainly in-house at 5 plants in Italy, China and the US, most in Danyang, China; 41 apparel supplier audits
Company details
- Owned by
- EssilorLuxottica (France/Italy)
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Oakley ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/oakley, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Oakley.