Labour Lens

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources

Paris contemporary fashion label.

There's no proof Sandro pays more than the legal minimum, which in China and Türkiye is below a living wage.

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

  • Not met: Meets 3 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.

How grades are decided


Good requirements 3 of 6

  • Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
  • Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Bangladesh and Vietnam.
  • Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
  • Met: No confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of forced labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
  • Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
  • Met: High-risk raw materials (cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeTraced or certified: cotton. Only in a few products: leather

Red flags 1

  • Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage

Stars it would earn as Good

None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars

Where it's made

Sandro names some of the countries it makes in: Bulgaria, China, France, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Tunisia and Türkiye. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.

Where it's made, and conditions there
CountryWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
ChinaNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
BangladeshUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
VietnamUsual for the industrySystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
TürkiyeNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageVery high
IndiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
CambodiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
BulgariaRegular violationsBelow a living wageHigh
FranceRegular violationsAbout a living wageLow
ItalyStrong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
PortugalStrong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
SerbiaSystematic violationsNot ratedModerate
TunisiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageLow
IndonesiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
PakistanUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageHigh

Evidence

What we found

  • Passes the raw-material check for clothes and shoes: traces or certifies its cotton.
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Independent social audits of all its main factories
  • Uses leather in only a few products and traces or certifies most of it. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
  • Traces or certifies most but not all of its cotton. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.

Research notes Sandro says its clothes are made at about 140 partner sites in some 30 countries, including Portugal, France, Italy, Turkey, China, Serbia, Bulgaria and Tunisia, split Asia 47%, Mediterranean 30% and Europe 23%; no factory list or country shares are published. SMCP reports that all tier-1 factories had a social audit in 2025 (BSCI, Sedex, WRAP, WCA or SA8000) and it belongs to the ICS audit initiative. Its supplier code calls the legal minimum wage a starting point, but there is no living wage programme. 78% of Sandro's cotton is organic and 95% of group leather comes from LWG-certified tanneries.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution)ListedSMCP scored 54.3 out of 250 (about 22%) in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, up from 20.5 in 2022. View
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportNot listedSMCP and its brands were not assessed in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report. View
UK Modern Slavery Statement RegistryListedSMCP UK publishes an annual anti-modern slavery statement covering the group's brands. View
Business & Human Rights Resource CentreListedCompany profile lists no response requests; Fashion Checker found no public evidence suppliers pay a living wage. View
News reporting and NGO investigationsListedNamed with SMCP in a 2021 French complaint and investigation over Uyghur forced labour, dropped in 2023, followed by a new complaint; SMCP denies the claims. 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.

  • In 2021 French prosecutors opened an investigation after NGOs accused SMCP, Sandro's owner, of selling clothes made partly with Uyghur forced labour; the case was dropped in 2023 and a new complaint filed. SMCP firmly denies the claims (Justice Info, 2023). Source

Sources and actions

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources
  1. Sandro Paris (Groupe SMCP) - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre · search the archive · FTI scores 2019-2023 (54.3/250 in 2023); no public evidence of living wages per Fashion Checker
  2. Fashion groups face new Uyghur forced labour complaint in France (Justice Info) · search the archive · 2023 new complaint against SMCP and others after earlier case dropped; SMCP denies accusations

Published by Sandro or its owner

  1. Our production - Sandro · search the archive · About 140 partner sites in some 30 countries; Asia 47%, Mediterranean 30%, Europe 23%; social audits BSCI, Sedex, WRAP, WCA, SA8000
  2. SMCP Sustainability Report 2025 Synthesis · search the archive · All tier-1 factories socially audited; ICS member; Sandro 78% organic cotton; 95% LWG leather; source country known for 87% of key fibres
  3. SMCP Sustainability Report 2025 · search the archive · 95% of leather from LWG-certified tanneries in 2025; 34% of cotton GOTS certified; 6,323 group employees
  4. SMCP Suppliers Code of Conduct (May 2024) · search the archive · Wages must meet at least the legal minimum; living wage described as an aim, with no programme or deadline
  5. SMCP UK 2024 Anti-Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · SMCP publishes a UK modern slavery statement

Company details

Headquarters
France
Last researched
2 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Sandro ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/sandro, 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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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Sandro.