Waverley Mills
Good. Shows the people who make its products are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Launceston woollen mill weaving wool blankets since 1874.
Waverley Mills makes its Tasmanian woollen blankets and scarves in its own factories in Australia, and carries the Australian Made label.
Also worth knowing
Ethical Clothing Australia checks that every worker in its Australian supply chain is paid award wages and entitlements.
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Why it's graded Good
- Met: Meets all 6 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
- Met: Earns 3 stars for going above and beyond.
| Star | Awarded for | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Open supply chain | Earned | |
| Pays above a living wage | Not earned | |
| Gives workers a real voice | Not earned | |
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities | Not earned |
3 stars for the first way it goes above and beyond, and one more for each further way, up to 6. About stars
Good requirements 6 of 6
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: award wages independently checked (Ethical Clothing Australia)
- Met: Respects worker rights
- 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 listMakes its products in its own factories
- Met: High-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range
Red flags 0
None found.
Accreditations 2
- Ethical Clothing AustraliaCounts as proof of a living wage for products made in Australia, because it checks workers get the legal pay rates for their job, and in Australia those are about a living wage.
- Australian MadeCounts as made in Australia for the final stage. For Good, the brand also needs to show where its materials and parts are made.
Where it's made
From Waverley Mills's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- No high-risk raw materials (such as cotton and leather) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Uses recycled metals or fibres
- Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)
Research notes Waverley Mills is accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia, which lists it as 100% made in Australia. ECA checks that workers are paid award wages and entitlements. The company spins, weaves and finishes its blankets, throws and scarves at its own mill in Launceston, using wool from Tasmanian growers, and some throws contain recycled wool. It is a small business: staff numbers have fallen from about 300 at its peak to roughly 20-31 in 2024. It went into administration in 2005 and was still trading in November 2026. It sells online and ships across Australia. It does not publish a modern slavery statement, and as a small business it is not required to.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ethical Clothing Australia | Certified | Listed in Ethical Clothing Australia's current directory as accredited and 100% made in Australia. View |
| Fair Wear | Not covered | Not a Fair Wear member; Fair Wear covers offshore garment production, which does not apply to this mill. View |
| B Corp directory | Not listed | No B Corp certification found. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No supply chain labour allegations against Waverley Mills are known. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Ethical Clothing Australia: Waverley Mills Pty Ltd · search the archive · Accredited brand listed as 100% Made in Australia; only working mill of its kind in Australia turning raw fibre into blankets, throws and scarves.
- Ethical Clothing Australia brand sitemap · search the archive · Waverley Mills is one of 57 brands in the current ECA directory.
- Inside Retail: Reviving Waverley Mills with innovation and sustainability (Nov 2024) · search the archive · All stages of wool manufacturing and weaving done on site; workforce of 31; wool from Tasmanian growers; throws with 30% recycled wool.
- Forty South: Hanging by a thread (Dec 2024) · search the archive · About 20 staff, a third casual; administration in 2005; recycled throws from old jeans and blazers; no offshore production mentioned.
- The Examiner: Waverley Mills $16m growth plan · search the archive · 26 employees in 2022; about $6 million raised from investors.
- The Design Files: Travel Launceston, Waverley Mills (July 2026) · search the archive · Mill still operating on its 1874 site in 2026 and running guided tours.
Published by Waverley Mills or its owner
- Waverley Mills official website · search the archive · Spins, weaves and finishes each blanket, throw and scarf onsite in Tasmania; Made in Tasmania since 1874; ships within Australia.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 20
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Waverley Mills ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/waverley-mills, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Good 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 Waverley Mills.