Pierre Cardin
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 4 sources
Paris fashion name licensed on Australian menswear.
We couldn't confirm where Pierre Cardin makes most of its licensed menswear and leather accessories.
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 1 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 1 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
- Not met: High-risk raw materials (cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton and leather
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 Pierre Cardin 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
- Doesn't show where its cotton comes from. Cotton is linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and Turkmenistan, and child labour in several growing regions, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
- Doesn't show where its leather comes from. Leather is linked to hazardous tannery work and forced labour on some cattle ranches, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
Research notes Pierre Cardin products sold in Australia are made by licensees rather than the Paris fashion house. Gazal took the menswear licence from 2011, and its successor PVH Brands Australia, owned by PVH, is listed as the brand's owner here; leather bags, wallets and travel goods carrying the name are sold widely, including at Big W, possibly under other licences. No licensee says where Pierre Cardin products are made or publishes a supplier list for the brand. PVH Brands Australia scored 47/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, but that rating covers the licensee's whole business, not the brand alone.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Listed | Australian licensee PVH Brands Australia, listed as Pierre Cardin brand owner, scored 47 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5). View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- PVH Brands Australia - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Lists PVH Brands Australia as Pierre Cardin brand owner; EFR 2026 score 47/100 (average 31.5)
- New home for Pierre (Ragtrader, 2010) · search the archive · Gazal Apparel agreed with SARL de Gestion Pierre Cardin to distribute men's tailored outerwear in Australia and NZ from January 2011
- Pierre Cardin products at Big W · search the archive · Over 1,300 Pierre Cardin listings, mainly bags, wallets and travel goods, many in leather; no country of origin stated
- Why some vintage European designer brands in Australia are worthless (Sam Talks Style, 2020) · search the archive · Pierre Cardin goods in Australia are typically made under licence, some labelled Made in Australia under licence
Company details
- Headquarters
- France
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Pierre Cardin ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/pierre-cardin, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded suits and tailoring
No suits and tailoring brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Pierre Cardin.