Rollie
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Melbourne footwear brand selling lightweight leather shoes.
There's no proof Rollie pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- 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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Bangladesh, 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 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 (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, 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
Rollie names some of the countries it makes in: China and Portugal. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Portugal | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)
- 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 Rollie says its shoes are made in two small to medium factories in China (about 100 workers each) and one factory in Portugal (just over 90 workers), long-term partners it visits each year. It has a supplier code of conduct banning child labour and says workers get a fair wage, but it publishes no factory names, audits, wage data or living wage commitment. Most styles use cow leather uppers and linings with chrome-free tanning claimed; leather origin is not disclosed. No split of output between the countries is published.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | Rollie is a small private company below the A$100 million revenue threshold for mandatory Australian modern slavery reporting; no statement found. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Rollie Nation founder Vince Lebon (SmartCompany, 2020) · search the archive · Founded in Melbourne in 2012 by Vince Lebon; stocked by more than 500 retailers in Australia and New Zealand
- Rollie cactus leather shoes (SmartCompany, 2023) · search the archive · Nine styles made with Desserto cactus leather; earlier vegan lines used Clarino and Pinatex
- Derby Weave Shoe by Rollie (THE ICONIC) · search the archive · Rollie shoes sold by Australian online retailer THE ICONIC
Published by Rollie or its owner
- Ethics (Rollie) · search the archive · Two factories in China of about 100 workers and one in Portugal of just over 90; code of conduct; lead- and chrome-free materials; no audits
- Derby Black (Rollie) · search the archive · Premium leather upper and cow leather lining, rubber outsole and EVA midsole; leather origin not stated
- Pace Classic White/Gum (Rollie) · search the archive · Leather and suede upper with rubber outsole
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Rollie ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/rollie, last researched 3 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 Rollie.