Vivobarefoot
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
British maker of thin-soled barefoot shoes.
There's no proof Vivobarefoot pays more than the legal minimum, which in Vietnam is well below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- 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.
Good requirements 3 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
- 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 and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced 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
Where it's made
From Vivobarefoot's own disclosure: it publishes its supplier list.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Portugal | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Namibia | Regular violations | Not rated | Low |
| Mongolia | We don't have labour ratings for this country yet. | ||
Evidence
What we found
- Modern slavery statement
- Publishes supplier list
- 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.
- Uses cotton in only a few products and doesn't show where it comes from. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Vivobarefoot is a UK B Corp (certified 2020, recertified 2024) whose shoes are finished at 11 factories in Vietnam, Portugal, Mongolia and Namibia, with components from 57 tier 2 sites mainly in Vietnam, China and Thailand and leather from Thailand and Spain; it does not publish the share made in each country. Its 2024/25 modern slavery statement reports its own supplier assessments (32 labour findings in the last 10 full assessments) but gives no wage detail and makes no living wage commitment. It publishes an interactive map of tier 1 and tier 2 partners, runs the ReVivo repair and resale scheme, and sells through vivobarefoot.com.au.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Certified | Certified B Corporation since 2020 and recertified in 2024. View |
| Fair Wear | Not listed | No Fair Wear membership is claimed by the brand. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No supply chain labour allegations against Vivobarefoot appear in news or NGO reporting. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- B Lab directory: Vivobarefoot · search the archive · Certified B Corporation since 2020, operating in the United Kingdom.
- Good On You: Vivobarefoot · search the archive · People rating 3/5 'It's a start'; final stage in extreme-risk countries; partial traceability; unclear whether living wages are paid.
- FashionUnited: Vivobarefoot 2025 report · search the archive · FY2025 revenue GBP 91.4m; 1.2 million pairs sold; Tier 1 and Tier 2 transparency maintained; 63,000 pairs repaired or refurbished.
Published by Vivobarefoot or its owner
- Vivobarefoot Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement FY2024/25 · search the archive · FY2024/25: 11 tier 1 sites in Vietnam, Portugal, Mongolia, Namibia (~11,900 workers); 57 tier 2 sites; leather from Thailand, Spain; no living wage.
- Vivobarefoot: B Corp · search the archive · Certified B Corp, recertified 2024; links to annual report and modern slavery statement; supplier compliance system piloted in Vietnam in 2025.
- Vivobarefoot AU store · search the archive · Australian online store with AUD pricing, Australian phone number and shipping within Australia.
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Employees
- About 100
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Vivobarefoot ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/vivobarefoot, last researched 3 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 Vivobarefoot.