Rockport
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources
US comfort footwear brand selling dress and walking shoes.
We couldn't confirm where Rockport makes most of its men's and women's comfort shoes.
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: 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 Rockport 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 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.
- Uses cotton in only a few products and doesn't show where it comes from. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Brand-licensing firm Authentic Brands Group bought Rockport out of bankruptcy in 2023. Its shoes are designed and sold under licence by Marc Fisher Footwear in the US and distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Munro Footwear Group since 2024. Neither Rockport nor its owner publishes where the shoes are made, a factory list, audit results or a living wage commitment. Shop Ethical rates Rockport F, noting Leather Working Group membership but criticising its parent for not signing the International Accord and for reported Uyghur forced labour risks in its brands' supply chains.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Munro Footwear Group's FY25 modern slavery statement notes its exclusive licence to distribute Rockport in Australia and New Zealand, but does not say where Rockport shoes are made. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Authentic Brands Group profile lists stories on Lesotho layoffs, a Myanmar shoe factory and Vietnam layoffs, with 0% response rate to six requests; none name Rockport. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Rockport - Shop Ethical (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Overall F; Leather Working Group member; parent not an Accord signatory; Uyghur forced labour concerns (ITUC 2020)
- Authentic Brands Group - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre · search the archive · Stories on Lesotho, Myanmar and Vietnam suppliers; none name Rockport
- Rockport returns to Australia in new Munro Footwear Group deal (Ragtrader) · search the archive · Munro holds an exclusive five-year licence to distribute Rockport in Australia and NZ from July 2024
- Authentic Brands Group acquires Rockport out of bankruptcy (Fashion Dive) · search the archive · Authentic bought Rockport in 2023; Marc Fisher Footwear runs design, wholesale and e-commerce under licence
Published by Rockport or its owner
- Munro Footwear Group FY25 Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · Mentions Rockport distribution licence only; no detail on how Rockport products are sourced
Company details
- Owned by
- Authentic Brands Group (US licensee: Marc Fisher Footwear; ANZ distributor: Munro Footwear Group)
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Rockport ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/rockport, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded footwear
Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Rockport.