Reiss
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources
London premium fashion brand.
Reiss can't show that the workers who make its products in India and Vietnam earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
Also worth knowing
It has no full independent audit.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Reiss? Send a right of reply.
Compare Reiss with another brand
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 unaudited production in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (forced labour, last recorded in 2024) was found by its own checks and is being fixed.
- 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. Reiss looks for problems in its own supply chain and publishes what it finds. It found forced labour in 2024 and forced labour in 2025 and is fixing them, so they don't count against the grade. They're 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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Türkiye, where 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 it isn't fixingIts own checks found forced labour, which it is fixing. That's listed below and doesn't count against the grade.
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listPublishes its supplier list
- Not met: High-risk raw materials (cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Reiss's own disclosure: it publishes its supplier list.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 23% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye | 14% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| India | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Vietnam | 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Denmark | Not given | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Egypt | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Spain | Not given | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Italy | Not given | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Cambodia | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka | Not given | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Morocco | Not given | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Low |
| Madagascar | Not given | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| North Macedonia | Not given | Systematic violations | Not rated | Very high |
| Portugal | Not given | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- 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.
Research notes Reiss's products are made by 99 independent suppliers in 145 Tier 1 factories across 15 countries; China (39%), Turkey (23%), India (13%) and Vietnam (8%) are the largest by purchasing volume. It publishes its Tier 1 factories on Open Supply Hub and is an Ethical Trading Initiative member. Next's audit team checked 109 sites in 2025 and found workers paying for tools at two sites, which were reimbursed. It has no living wage target or wage data.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | The 2025-26 statement covers 99 manufacturing suppliers with 145 Tier 1 factories in 15 territories; Next's Code of Practice team audited 109 sites in 2025. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Not in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report; owner Next scored 49/100, but that rating covers only the Next and Lipsy brands. View |
Confirmed issues 2
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 | Next Code of Practice audits in 2025 found forced labour indicators at two Reiss supplier sites, in Bangladesh and China, where workers paid for their own tools or protective equipment (Reiss Modern Slavery Statement, 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. | YesReiss had the costs reimbursed to workers and the factories agreed to pay for required tools and PPE from then on (2025-26 statement). |
| 2024 | A December 2024 audit of a Reiss supplier factory in India found bonded labour: a supervisor charged referred workers INR 1,000 a month as an 'employment charge' (Reiss Modern Slavery Statement, 2025). 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. | PartlyReiss started remediation with factory management and says it is monitoring evidence from the supplier; it does not say whether workers were repaid (2024-25 statement). |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- NEXT - Shop Ethical! (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · 2026 Ethical Fashion Report: Next 49/100; brands listed are Next and Lipsy only
- REISS LIMITED modern slavery statement summary 2025 (UK registry) · search the archive · Priority risks in China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam and India; forced labour indicators found; remediation incl. fee repayment
Published by Reiss or its owner
- Reiss Modern Slavery Statement (FY2025-26) · search the archive · 99 suppliers, 145 factories, 15 territories; China 39%, Turkey 23%, India 13%, Vietnam 8%; 109 sites audited; tool/PPE costs reimbursed; 1,560 staff
- Reiss Modern Slavery Statement 2024-25 · search the archive · 2024-25: 197 Tier 1 suppliers; India bonded labour case (INR 1,000 monthly 'employment charge'); Open Supply Hub; ETI
- Reiss - Social sustainability · search the archive · Uses Next Code of Practice audits; ETI member since 2017; Tier 1 suppliers published on Open Supply Hub
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Employees
- About 1,560
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Reiss ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/reiss, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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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 Reiss.