Outerknown
Partly verifiedOuterknown is working towards a living wage through the Fair Labor Association's fair compensation programme, with no serious warning signs. It just can't yet prove workers earn one.
Last researched 8 October 2026
Heading in the right direction. Workers are paid enough to live on, or the company is certified as working towards it, and there are no serious warning signs. One piece is still unproven. What this grade means
Good: 3 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: 1 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: 1
- Does not pay a living wage
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.
- Fair Labor Association: Brand-level accreditation with unannounced factory assessments.
- Publishes supplier list
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Outerknown has been accredited by the Fair Labor Association since 2017, and the FLA has published ten independent factory assessments for it (2016-2025) in Sri Lanka, the US, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Peru and Portugal. Only selected product lines, such as trunks and women's denim, are made in Fair Trade Certified factories, so Fair Trade does not cover most of its range. It says it is 'working towards living wages' under a Fair Compensation Commitment but publishes no wage data or target date. It lists its Tier 1 factories on an open registry but does not disclose how much it makes in each country. Since 2024 it has been part of a holding company led by Dylan Slater alongside Firewire Surfboards and Slater Designs; the company's name and owners have not been made public. It is not a cer
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Not listed | No Outerknown listing in the B Corp directory; the brand says two of its suppliers are B Corps. View ↗ |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Unclear | No Ethical Fashion Report grade for Outerknown was located. View ↗ |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Unclear | No Fashion Transparency Index score for Outerknown was located. View ↗ |
| Open Supply Hub | Unclear | Outerknown says it lists its Tier 1 factories on Open Supply Hub (formerly Open Apparel Registry); the facility list itself was not reviewed. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No allegations naming Outerknown were located. View ↗ |
Sources (8)
- Fair Labor Association - Outerknown · archived copy · Participating Company since 2015, Fair Labor Accredited since 2017; ten factory assessments 2016-2025 in Sri Lanka, US, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Peru and Portugal.
- Outerknown accreditation assessment (FLA, October 2017) · archived copy · FLA accreditation of Outerknown's compliance program in October 2017.
- Outerknown - Sustainability · archived copy · Shares Tier 1 partners via the Open Apparel Registry; 'working towards living wages' under a Fair Compensation Commitment with no target date; works with two B Corp certified suppliers.
- Outerknown - Sustainability page · archived copy · Fair Trade Certified factories used for trunks and women's denim; Fair Compensation and Living Wage Program with no wage figures.
- Outerknown brand rating (Eco-Stylist) · archived copy · Fair Trade applies to select partners; US$133,000 paid to workers in Fair Trade premiums.
- Outerknown initial rating (Sustainable Jungle, Sept 2026) · archived copy · FLA accredited since 2017; one Fair Trade Certified garment factory named (Thailand); no living wage target date; no impact report published.
- Dylan Slater tapped to lead new holding company for Outerknown, Firewire, Slater Designs (Shop Eat Surf, May 2024) · archived copy · Outerknown moved into a new holding company with Firewire, Slater Designs and Endorfins in 2024; name not disclosed.
- Kelly Slater and co form super brand (The Inertia, May 2024) · archived copy · Kelly Slater united his business holdings, including Outerknown, under one unnamed holding company led by Dylan Slater.
Last researched 8 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.