OtterBox
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Colorado company selling protective phone cases.
Until OtterBox traces its cobalt, gold and tin to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace them.
- 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.
- Checks its own supply chain. OtterBox looks for problems in its own supply chain and publishes what it finds. It found a labour rights breach in 2025 and is fixing it, so it doesn't count against the grade. It's listed below under Confirmed issues.
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 rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Vietnam and the United States.
- 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 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace
- 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
From press and retailer reports; OtterBox doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| Mexico | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Germany | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | 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.
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- 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 OtterBox does not run its own factories and names Asia and North America as its main sourcing regions, but publishes no countries or supplier list; a 2014 trade report said about a third each was made in Asia, the US and Mexico, with a little in Germany. Tier 1 suppliers get annual third-party SMETA audits under the ETI Base Code, with unannounced audits for higher-risk sites. Its code includes living wages but there is no programme or evidence they are paid. It reported one unspecified supplier labour violation in 2025.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Otter Products publishes a 2026 global modern slavery statement covering its UK and EU affiliates, naming Asia and North America as key sourcing regions. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | No Otter Products statement was found on the Australian Modern Slavery Register. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | OtterBox was not rated in Baptist World Aid's last Electronics Industry Report (2016); the series has ended. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse reports involving OtterBox or its suppliers were identified. 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? |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Otter Products disclosed an incident of labour violations in its supply chain in 2025, without saying what it was or where (Otter Products Canada Forced and Child Labour Report, 2026). Source · search the archiveFound and being fixed by the company Not counted against the grade while the company is actively fixing it, because it found and published it itself. | PartlyOtter says it required prompt corrective action meeting its standards; it gives no details of the supplier or outcome. |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- OtterBox (US Manufacturing Report, 2014) · search the archive · 2014 report: OtterBox does no own manufacturing; about a third each made in Asia, US and Mexico, a little in Germany
- Otterbox Defender Pro MagSafe Case for iPhone 17 Pro Max (JB Hi-Fi) · search the archive · OtterBox cases sold by JB Hi-Fi in Australia
Published by OtterBox or its owner
- Otter Products Global Modern Slavery Statement 2026 · search the archive · Approved Dec 2025; Asia and North America key sourcing regions; SMETA audits, unannounced for higher-impact suppliers; no supplier list
- Otter Products Forced and Child Labour Report (Canada) FY2025 · search the archive · Annual third-party audits of Tier 1 suppliers; one labour violation incident disclosed for 2025
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is OtterBox ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/otterbox, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded phones
No phones 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 OtterBox.