Labour Lens

Sea to Summit

Lacks transparency

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

Clothing & footwear

Partly verified: what this means

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources

Perth maker of sleeping bags, dry bags and camping gear.

There's no proof Sea to Summit pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.

Better-graded outdoor

Graded higher than Sea to Summit, selling the same kinds of things.

Wilderness WearClothing & footwearAustralian-made merino outdoor clothingIts own factories in Australia hold Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Open supply chain3 starsPatagoniaClothing & footwearOutdoor clothing and gearHolds Fair Trade USA factory certification and publishes its suppliers.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Gives workers a real voice; Open supply chain; Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities5 starsArc'teryx (clothing, packs and accessories)Clothing & footwearTechnical outdoor jackets, packs and footwearHolds Fair Trade USA factory certification and publishes its suppliers.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities3 stars

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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

  • Checks its own supply chain. Sea to Summit looks for problems in its own supply chain and publishes what it finds. It found unsafe conditions in 2023 and is fixing it, so it doesn't count against the grade. It's listed below under Confirmed issues.

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, Vietnam and Indonesia.
  • 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
  • Met: High-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range

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

Accreditations 1

Where it's made

Sea to Summit names some of the countries it makes in: China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia. 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
VietnamSystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
IndonesiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
TaiwanStrong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
AustraliaStrong protectionsAbout a living wageLow
BangladeshUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
IndiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
CambodiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate
TürkiyeUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageVery high
PakistanUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageHigh

Evidence

What we found

  • No high-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Independent social audits of all its main factories
  • Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)

Research notes Sea to Summit's products are made by independent factories: about 76% of its tier 1 suppliers for own-brand goods are in China, with five in Vietnam and one each in Taiwan and Indonesia, plus some in Australia. Its 2023 statement reports QIMA audits based on SA8000 at tier 1 suppliers, with excessive overtime the most common problem, and says it reviews SMETA or BSCI reports where suppliers have them. It became a certified B Corp in June 2026 (a whole-company assessment). It publishes no supplier list or living wage commitment and has little visibility beyond tier 1. Its gear is mostly synthetic and down.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterListedSea to Summit Pty Ltd files Australian modern slavery statements; the 2023 statement covers its tier 1 suppliers, QIMA audits and corrective action plans. View
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportNot listedNo Ethical Fashion Report score for Sea to Summit was found; it was not rated in the 2024 edition (the 2026 edition is the latest). View
B Corp directoryCertifiedCertified B Corporation since June 2026, with an overall B Impact Score of 90.1. View

Confirmed issues 1

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 recordedWhat happenedMade amends?
2023Sea to Summit's QIMA audits found excessive working hours and health and safety failings at some supplier factories in China and Vietnam (Sea to Summit modern slavery statement, 2023). 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.PartlyCorrective action plans were issued to the suppliers concerned; no follow-up results are published.

Sources and actions

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources
  1. Sea to Summit (B Lab directory) · search the archive · Certified B Corporation since June 2026; B Impact Score 90.1
  2. Sea to Summit acquired by Australian private equity firm (Outside Business Journal) · search the archive · Five V Capital bought a majority stake in May 2022; HQ stays in Perth
  3. Paddy Pallin · search the archive · Australian outdoor retailer with stores that stocks Sea to Summit gear

Published by Sea to Summit or its owner

  1. Sea to Summit Modern Slavery Statement 2023 · search the archive · 76% of tier 1 suppliers in China; VN 5, TW 1, ID 1, plus AU; QIMA SA8000-based audits; excess hours; 222 staff; owned by Pindan Topco
  2. Sea to Summit Modern Slavery Statement 2022 · search the archive · QIMA audited all tier 1 suppliers; excessive overtime most common issue in China and Vietnam; over 83% of suppliers in China
  3. California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (Sea to Summit) · search the archive · Selected suppliers audited each year by an external auditor; founded by Roland Tyson in 1991 in Perth
  4. Sea to Summit Our Commitments · search the archive · Factory code aligned with SA8000; third-party auditors check compliance; no factory list or living wage

Company details

Headquarters
Australia
Employees
About 222
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Sea to Summit ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/sea-to-summit, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

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