Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources
Los Angeles brand known for canvas slip-on shoes.
TOMS scored 16/100 in the 2024 Ethical Fashion Report, and there's no proof it pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent TOMS? Send a right of reply.
Compare TOMS with another brand
Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, unaudited production in high-risk countries and a failing or very low rating (Ethical Fashion Report 16/100 in 2024). 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 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rights95% of its products are made in China and Cambodia, 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
- 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) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- Red flag: Failing or very low score on an independent rating: Ethical Fashion Report 16/100 (2024)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
China has the largest share, 63%. Cambodia is next, at 32%.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 63% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Cambodia | 32% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- 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.
Research notes TOMS owns no factories; its June 2026 supplier list names 19 footwear factories making about 99% of its finished goods, 12 in China, 6 in Cambodia and 1 in Vietnam. It uses announced and unannounced third-party audits and a supplier code of conduct, but publishes no living wage data and only aims to start tracking it. It is a Certified B Corp, yet scored 16/100 in the 2024 Ethical Fashion Report and is not in the 2026 edition. No confirmed labour abuses linked to its suppliers have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Problem found | Not in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report; scored 16 out of 100 in the 2024 edition, well below the 31.3 average. View |
| B Corp directory | Certified | Certified B Corp since November 2018, with a latest overall score of 126.7 (workers score 26.7). View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Publishes a combined UK Modern Slavery Act and California supply chain disclosure on its website. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- TOMS - Shop Ethical! (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Ethical Fashion Report 2024 score 16/100 (no 2026 score shown); B Corp; Transparency Pledge aligned
- TOMS - B Corp Directory · search the archive · Certified B Corp since 2018, score 126.7
- TOMS Finished Goods Supplier List, June 2026 · search the archive · 19 footwear factories (China 12, Cambodia 6, Vietnam 1) covering about 99% of finished-goods production
- Toms ownership to be taken over by creditors (World Footwear) · search the archive · Creditors led by Jefferies, Nexus and Brookfield took ownership in 2020
Published by TOMS or its owner
- TOMS Supply Chain Disclosure · search the archive · No owned factories; announced and unannounced audits; living wage tracking only planned; UK MSA statement
Company details
- Owned by
- Owned by creditors led by Jefferies, Nexus Capital and Brookfield (since 2020)
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is TOMS ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/toms, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded footwear
Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent TOMS.