Skullcandy
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 3 sources
Utah audio brand selling headphones and earbuds.
There's no proof Skullcandy 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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Nothing we've rated in TV and audio is better than Lacks transparency yet.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. 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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Malaysia, 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: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Skullcandy names some of the countries it makes in: China. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: cobalt, tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold mining carry child and forced labour risk (DR Congo, Indonesia), and assembly overtime is widespread.
- Relies on metals such as cobalt, gold and tin from artisanal mines where miners, including children, face toxic dust, mercury exposure and deadly tunnel collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Skullcandy owns no factories and has its products made by contract manufacturers in Asia; its last public annual report (2015) said substantially all products were made in China by about ten suppliers, and it publishes no current country figures or factory list. Its supply chain disclosure says it runs third-party audits of all suppliers for forced and child labour and requires suppliers to certify compliance, but it publishes no audit results, no modern slavery statement and no living wage commitment. Bose bought Skullcandy in October 2026; Bose's RBA membership and modern slavery statement do not yet show any coverage of Skullcandy's suppliers.
Sources and actions
Sources 3
Show all 3 sources
- Skullcandy supply chain disclosure (snapshot via Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2021) · search the archive · Bans forced labour and ID retention; says it runs third-party audits of all suppliers; suppliers certify compliance; staff training.
- Skullcandy Inc. Form 10-K for 2015 (SEC) · search the archive · Owns no factories; substantially all products made in China by about ten independent manufacturers in Asia; Shenzhen sourcing office.
Published by Skullcandy or its owner
- Bose Acquires Skullcandy (Bose press release, 21 October 2026) · search the archive · Bose completed its purchase of Skullcandy from a Mill Road Capital fund; Skullcandy stays based in Park City, Utah.
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Skullcandy ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/skullcandy, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
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