Labour Lens

Steel Blue

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

Based on what Steel Blue publishes, with few independent checks. Researched with AI assistance against published rules. Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources · How we check

Perth company designing safety and work boots.

Steel Blue can't show that the workers who make its products in Indonesia earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.

Better-graded footwear

Graded higher than Steel Blue, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.

14 op shops and resale platforms, Good by ruleBuying second-hand or refurbished: Blue Spinach and SWOP Clothing Exchange and 12 more · See them allGoodJumbo Ugg AustraliaIts own factories in Australia hold Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation.Australian-made sheepskin ugg bootsGoodVerifiedRedback BootsIts own factories in Australia hold Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation.Australian-made leather work bootsGoodGoes Above and Beyond: Open supply chain3 starsR.M. Williams (boots and leather goods)Makes most of its range in Australia and publishes its suppliers.Leather boots, goods and apparelPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified

Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements, with 1 red flag.Open why it has this gradeClose why it has this grade
  • 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 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 (leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeTraced or certified: 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

Accreditations 1

Where it's made

Indonesia 67%, Australia 33%.Open where it's madeClose where it's made

Indonesia has the largest share, 67%. Australia is next, at 33%.

Where it's made, share by country, and conditions there
CountryShareWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
Indonesia67%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
Australia33%Strong protectionsAbout a living wageLow

Evidence

6 things we found and what 1 independent source says.Open the evidenceClose the evidence

What we found

  • Passes the raw-material check for clothes and shoes: traces or certifies its leather.
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Independent social audits of all its main factories
  • Makes part of its range in its own factories
  • Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)
  • Traces or certifies most but not all of its leather. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.

Research notes Steel Blue boots are mostly made by partner factories in Jakarta and Brebes, Indonesia, where it has staff on site, with some made in its own factory in Malaga, Perth; production shares are not published and there is no public factory list. The principal Indonesian partner has annual four-pillar SMETA audits, but no audit findings are published. Leather comes mainly from New Zealand, and all of it from Leather Working Group rated tanneries. Steel Blue publishes no living wage commitment or wage data, and it is not rated in the Ethical Fashion Report. Shares count its named sites: two partner factories in Indonesia and its own in Perth.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterStatement filedFootwear Industries Pty Ltd (Steel Blue) published a 2026 modern slavery statement (year to June 2026) naming partner factories in Jakarta and Brebes, Indonesia, with annual SMETA audits; it reports no cases and no audit findings. View

Sources and actions

7 sources, company details, and how to send evidence or a right of reply.Open the sources and company detailsClose the sources and company details

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources
  1. Steel Blue - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Boots made in Australia and Indonesia; no Ethical Fashion Report score; owned by Footwear Industries Pty Ltd
  2. Steel Blue Modern Slavery Statement 2021 (Footwear Industries Pty Ltd) · search the archive · Principal manufacturing partner in Jakarta, Indonesia; SMETA audits, no zero-tolerance concerns; no cases reported
  3. Land Forces 2024: Quad chart for Steel Blue (WA Government) · search the archive · 100% Australian-owned, with headquarters and Australian manufacturing operations in Perth

Published by Steel Blue or its owner

  1. Steel Blue Global Human Rights & Modern Slavery Statement 2026 · search the archive · Partners in Jakarta and Brebes, Indonesia; own Malaga factory; annual SMETA audits; 100% LWG-rated leather; 93 staff; no living wage commitment
  2. Does Steel Blue still manufacture in Australia? (Steel Blue) · search the archive · Boots produced in Australia and at its dedicated factory in Indonesia
  3. Human Rights Achievements (Steel Blue) · search the archive · Boots predominantly made with New Zealand leather; FDRA Responsible Factory accreditation since 2017; Elevate audits; no living wage information
  4. Steel Blue New Zealand homepage · search the archive · Boots predominantly made with New Zealand leather; Tasman Leathers a major supplier

Company details

Headquarters
Australia
Employees
About 93
Last researched
2 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Steel Blue ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/steel-blue, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

Something missing or wrong?

Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Steel Blue.

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