STAUD

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

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources

Los Angeles brand selling dresses, knitwear and handbags.

There's no proof STAUD 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 has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries. 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.

How grades are decided

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 India, 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 (cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton and 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

From product labels; STAUD doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.

Where it's made, and conditions there
Country	Worker rights	Legal minimum wage	Forced labour risk
China	No guarantee of rights	Below a living wage	Moderate
India	No guarantee of rights	Well below a living wage	High
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
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

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.
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 STAUD does not say where its clothing, bags or shoes are made, and publishes no supplier list, factory audit information, modern slavery statement or living wage commitment. Retailer listings show some dresses made in China and India; no country split is published. Its handbag range, a core product line, relies heavily on leather and suede, with no information on where the leather comes from. No confirmed labour abuses linked to the brand have been reported.

Sources and actions

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources

New money, same STAUD (The Sage Group, 2025) · search the archive · STAUD received a significant investment from a consortium of family offices in 2025
STAUD bags (Mytheresa) · search the archive · Many STAUD bags are leather, suede, calf hair or leather-trimmed
Meghan Markle's sustainable green dress from Staud (Stylist) · search the archive · LA brand founded 2015 by Sarah Staudinger and George Augusto
Endource: STAUD Mabel one-shoulder wool minidress · search the archive · Made in China
Endource: STAUD Phare ruched cotton-poplin minidress · search the archive · Made in China
Endource: STAUD Brooke embellished strapless midi dress · search the archive · Made in India

Published by STAUD or its owner

STAUD official site · search the archive · Sells clothing, handbags, shoes, accessories and home goods; no manufacturing or supply chain information published

Company details

Headquarters: United States
Last researched: 3 November 2026
Cite this page: Labour Lens, "Is STAUD ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/staud, 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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Something missing or wrong?

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