Patagonia
Partly verifiedPatagonia treats its workers well: its factories are Fair Trade certified, with premiums paid to workers, and the Fair Labor Association monitors its factories.
Last researched 8 October 2026
A safe choice. Workers earn enough to live on, can stand up for their rights, and the whole supply chain is checked for child and forced labour. What this grade means
Good: 5 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: 0
None found.
Where it's made
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam 53% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka 17% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia 6% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Thailand 6% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| United States 6% | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| Bangladesh 3% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
| Colombia 3% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Mexico 3% | Some protections | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Peru 3% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Low |
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. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Fair Trade certified factory: Fair Trade USA factory standard: audited conditions plus a premium paid to workers. Does not require a full living wage.
- Fair Labor Association: Brand-level accreditation with unannounced factory assessments.
- Certified B Corp: Whole-company assessment. Labour is one part of the score, so it is supportive rather than proof.
- Publishes supplier list
- Proves a living wage for part of its supply chain only
- Invests in worker and farming communities
More than 90% of Patagonia's products (95% in its 2025 impact report) are sewn in Fair Trade Certified factories, and it has been accredited by the Fair Labor Association since 2008. It set a goal in 2015 of living wages across its supply chain by 2025 and missed it: its latest figures show 39% of factories paying a living wage and about a third paying only around half of one, with no new dated target. It has since joined collective wage programs (IDH WARP in 2024 and ACT in 2026). In 2012 it found migrant workers at Taiwanese fabric mills had paid recruitment fees of up to US$7,000, and it has since recovered fees for workers and led an industry 'No Fees' initiative. Production shares are estimated from the number of finished-goods factories on its public list, not from volumes.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Found | Certified B Corp since 2011 with an overall score of 166.0. View ↗ |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Found | Graded A in the 2017 Ethical Fashion Report; no more recent grade located. View ↗ |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Found | Scored 64% in the 2019 Fashion Transparency Index, joint highest. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | Lists the 2025 Transparentem investigation of Taiwanese textile suppliers linked to about 40 buyers, with company responses. View ↗ |
| KnowTheChain | Unclear | Not shown among the companies in the 2023 KnowTheChain apparel and footwear benchmark materials reviewed. View ↗ |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- A 2023 Follow the Money investigation reported that workers at Regal Image in Sri Lanka, a factory shared with fast-fashion brands, worked shifts of up to 14-17 hours and more than 80 hours a week; Patagonia responded that it works in shared factories to raise standards and pays Fair Trade premiums. Source ↗
- A 2025 Transparentem investigation found forced labour indicators, including high recruitment fees, among migrant workers at nine Taiwanese textile suppliers linked to about 40 international buyers; Patagonia was among the buyers contacted and is listed as a leader of the remediation effort, though its specific supplier links were not published. Source ↗
Sources (12)
- Patagonia - Our Footprint · archived copy · More than 90% of products made in Fair Trade Certified factories; 85,000+ workers benefit; 34% of apparel-assembly factories paid a living wage in 2023.
- Patagonia - Living Wage · archived copy · Goal of living wages in apparel assembly factories by 2025; 10 of 29 apparel-assembly factories paid a living wage on average in 2023; no interim targets.
- Patagonia publishes first impact report: 'We are still a work in progress' (FashionUnited, 2025) · archived copy · 39% of factories pay a living wage, 29% pay 80% of one, the rest about half; 95% of products Fair Trade Certified.
- Patagonia joins ACT (Just Style, Sept 2026) · archived copy · Patagonia joined the ACT living wage initiative in 2026; 2015 goal of living wage by 2025 set; no new target date given.
- Patagonia joins IDH WARP program (IDH, June 2024) · archived copy · Patagonia joined and co-funds IDH's wages and responsible purchasing program; no measurable targets set.
- Patagonia - Factories, Farms and Material Suppliers · archived copy · Public list of about 35 finished-goods factories: 16 in Vietnam, 5 in Sri Lanka, 2 each in Indonesia, Thailand, El Salvador and the US, 1 each in Bangladesh, Colombia, Jordan, Mexico, Nicaragua and Pe
- Fair Labor Association - Patagonia · archived copy · FLA member since 2001, accredited since 2008 covering all products; post-accreditation reports in 2024 and 2025.
- Patagonia Assessment for Reaccreditation (FLA, 2017) · archived copy · Reaccredited October 2017; FLA commended work on migrant workers, living wages and worker voice.
- B Corp Directory - Patagonia Inc · archived copy · Certified B Corp since December 2011, overall score 166.0, Workers score 23.7.
- Patagonia - Migrant Workers · archived copy · 2012 discovery of recruitment fees up to US$7,000 at Tier 2 mills in Taiwan; about US$1.7m a year recovered for 3,000+ workers; 'No Fees by 2020' initiative.
- FTM: Patagonia exploits textile workers (FashionUnited, June 2023) · archived copy · Allegations of excessive hours at Regal Image, Sri Lanka, and Patagonia's response.
- Following the Thread - Labor Abuses in Taiwan's Textile Industry (Transparentem, 2025) · archived copy · Forced labour indicators at nine Taiwanese textile suppliers; Patagonia listed as contacted buyer and remediation group leader.
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.