Labour Lens

Spell

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 2 November 2026 · 5 sources

Byron Bay label selling bohemian dresses and swimwear.

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

Better-graded swimwear and surf

Graded higher than Spell, selling the same kinds of things.

Bond-EyeMissing: where its earlier stages happen and a named supplier list · Clothing & footwearCrinkle-knit women's swimwearPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedBaku SwimwearMissing: where its earlier stages happen and a named supplier list · Clothing & footwearWomen's swimwear and resort wearPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verifiedBudgy SmugglerMissing: where its earlier stages happen and a named supplier list · Clothing & footwearSwim briefs, swimwear and underwearPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified

No swimwear and surf brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.

See every swimwear and surf brand

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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, Vietnam and India.
  • 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
  • Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listPublishes its supplier list
  • Not met: High-risk raw materials (cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton

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

China has the largest share, 73%. Vietnam is next, at 14%.

Where it's made, share by country, and conditions there
CountryShareWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
China73%No guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
Vietnam14%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
India9%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
Peru2%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
Cambodia2%No guarantee of rightsFar below a living wageModerate

Evidence

What we found

  • Publishes supplier list
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Independent social audits of all its main factories
  • Doesn't show where its cotton comes from. Cotton is linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and Turkmenistan, and child labour in several growing regions, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
  • Uses leather 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 Spell's FY23 impact report names its 19 tier 1 factories: production was 73% China, 14% Vietnam, 9% India, 2% Peru and 2% Cambodia. 94% of tier 1 suppliers had a social audit or certificate (SA8000, SMETA, amfori BSCI, WRAP, WFTO). Spell says all pay at least the legal minimum and 28% pay at or above a calculated living wage, but this is self-reported and it sets no living wage target. Leather (3% of fibre) comes from LWG-certified tanneries. It publishes a voluntary modern slavery statement and is not in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
B Corp directoryCertifiedCertified B Corp since August 2023 (as Spell Group / IPEA Holdings) with a B Impact score of 87.9, including 19.9 points for workers. View
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportNot listedNot rated in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report. View

Sources and actions

Sources 5

Show all 5 sources
  1. SPELL (IPEA Holdings Pty Ltd - Spell Group) - B Corp directory · search the archive · Certified B Corp since August 2023, B Impact score 87.9 (workers 19.9)
  2. Ethical Fashion Guide 2026 (Baptist World Aid) · search the archive · Spell is not among the brands rated in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report

Published by Spell or its owner

  1. Spell FY23 Impact Report · search the archive · FY23: CN 73%, VN 14%, IN 9%, PE 2%, KH 2%; 19 named tier 1 factories; 94.4% social audited; 28% pay living wage (self-reported); leather 2.8%
  2. Spell Modern Slavery Statement 2023 · search the archive · Voluntary FY23 statement: 18 tier 1 suppliers in China, India, Vietnam, Peru, Cambodia; incident response policy; no cases reported
  3. Spell - Meet the Makers · search the archive · Describes tier 1 suppliers by type and city and their audit schemes

Company details

Headquarters
Australia
Last researched
2 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Spell ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/spell, 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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