Paddy Pallin
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Family-owned Australian outdoor retailer.
We couldn't confirm where Paddy Pallin makes most of its products.
Also worth knowing
Most clothes and shoes are made in countries such as China and Bangladesh, where pay is usually below a living wage and unions are heavily restricted.
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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 a hidden, unaudited supply chain, probably 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 rightsWhere clothes and shoes are usually made, such as China and Bangladesh, 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) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeOnly in a few products: cotton
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, probably mostly in countries with poor worker rights
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 Paddy Pallin makes most of its products, so this shows where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh | 20% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 10% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Cambodia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| Indonesia | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Pakistan | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses cotton in only a few products, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good. It doesn't show where its cotton comes from. The "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Paddy Pallin does not say where its own-brand clothing is made; one resold own-brand nylon and polyester vest carries a China origin label, which is too little to show where the range is made. It publishes no supplier or factory list, supplier code of conduct, audit results or living wage commitment, and no modern slavery statement from it appears on the Australian register. Its sustainability pages cover conservation, repairs through partner Remote Repairs and its family foundation rather than the workers who make its products. Its own-brand outdoor wear appears mostly synthetic.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Not rated by Baptist World Aid; Paddy Pallin is not assessed in the Ethical Fashion Report. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Paddy Pallin - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Family-owned private Australian company; not rated; no supply chain information listed.
- Paddy Pallin men's soft shell vest (eBay resale listing) · search the archive · Used own-brand vest listed as made in China, with nylon shell and polyester fleece lining.
- Paddy Pallin steps up for nature - Australian Conservation Foundation (2026) · search the archive · May 2026: business still owned by the Pallin family, CEO Tim Pallin; began as an outdoor clothing maker
Published by Paddy Pallin or its owner
- Sustainability - Paddy Pallin · search the archive · Sustainability content covers environment and conservation; no information on factories, sourcing or labour.
- Remote Repairs - Paddy Pallin · search the archive · Repairs offered through partner Remote Repairs; no manufacturing details given.
- Paddy Pallin Foundation - Our History · search the archive · Pallin family set up the foundation in 2007 as an entity separate from the business.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Paddy Pallin ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/paddy-pallin, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded outdoor
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Paddy Pallin.