Vitra
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Family-owned Swiss maker of designer chairs and furniture.
Vitra publishes no certification, independent audit or supplier list.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Vitra? Send a right of reply.
Compare Vitra with another brand
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
- Met: Respects worker rights
- 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 (leather and timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: timber
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain: no certification, independent audits or supplier list
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Vitra names some of the countries it makes in: Germany, Hungary and Japan. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Hungary | Systematic violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| PolandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- Doesn't show where its timber comes from. Timber is linked to illegal logging linked to forced labour, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
- Uses leather in only a few products and traces or certifies most of it. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Vitra makes its furniture at its own sites in Weil am Rhein (Germany), Szombathely (Hungary) and Sugito (Japan). It uses parts and materials bought mostly in Europe: its 2024 report puts 97% of direct purchasing with European suppliers (Germany 46%, Italy 28%, Poland 10%, Hungary 4%, Finland 3%). Suppliers sign a code of conduct based on ILO conventions, and key suppliers fill in an annual questionnaire, checked by on-site audits where needed, but only 40% took part. Vitra publishes no supplier list and no living wage commitment, and gives no FSC share for its wood.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report does not assess furniture makers, and its Electronics Industry Report ended in 2016. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | No Australian modern slavery statement; Vitra sells here through independent dealers rather than a large Australian entity. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- Living Edge Melbourne showroom (Living Edge) · search the archive · Australian furniture retailer with showrooms lists Vitra among its brands
Published by Vitra or its owner
- Vitra Sustainability Report 2024 · search the archive · Supplier spend by country 2024; supplier code based on ILO; questionnaire 40% response; leather from northern Italian suppliers
- Vitra Sustainability Report 2022 · search the archive · Production in Weil am Rhein, Szombathely and Sugito; wood about 15% and leather under 1% of materials used
- Vitra facts · search the archive · Family-owned company founded 1950, headquartered in Birsfelden; production sites in Germany, Japan and Hungary
Company details
- Owned by
- Family-owned (Fehlbaum family)
- Headquarters
- Switzerland
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Vitra ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/vitra, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded furniture
None of the furniture brands we know to make furniture is Good yet. These are the strongest so far. Le Klint is Good, but we don't know that it makes furniture.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Vitra.