Tree of Life
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 4 sources
Family-owned Sydney retailer of bohemian clothing.
There's no proof Tree of Life pays more than the legal minimum, which in India is well below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Tree of Life? Send a right of reply.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 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.
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 rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in India, Thailand and China.
- 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) 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
Where it's made
Tree of Life says which countries it makes its products in, but doesn't name the factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Nepal | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- 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.
Research notes Tree of Life's clothing is made mainly by two long-standing family-run partner suppliers in Delhi and Jaipur, India, with other makers in Nepal, Thailand and China; no production shares are published. It says the two main suppliers are Sedex audited, pay state minimum wages and provide medical cover and a provident fund. It publishes no supplier list, code of conduct, audit results or living wage commitment, and is too small to file a modern slavery statement. It is not in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report; it was last graded C in 2019.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Listed | Not in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report; graded C in the 2019 edition and not included since. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- Tree of Life - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · C grade in 2019 Ethical Fashion Report; sources from India and Asia; 325 employees (2015)
- Tree of Life - origins and family behind the bohemian brand (Coast Beat) · search the archive · Family-run with 42 stores; sources from India, Thailand, China, Indonesia and Nepal via long-term family suppliers
Published by Tree of Life or its owner
- How We Make - Tree of Life · search the archive · Two main family-run partner suppliers in Delhi and Jaipur, makers in Nepal; Sedex audited; state wages; medical cover and provident fund
- Our Story - Tree of Life · search the archive · Family business founded by John and Wendy Borthwick; garments made across India, Nepal, Thailand and China
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 325
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Tree of Life ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/tree-of-life, 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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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Tree of Life.