Wittner
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources
Melbourne footwear brand selling leather shoes and boots.
Wittner scored 10/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, and there's no proof it pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and a failing or very low rating (Ethical Fashion Report 10/100 in 2026). 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 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Bangladesh, 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
- 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) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: leather
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Failing or very low score on an independent rating: Ethical Fashion Report 10/100 (2026)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From press and retailer reports; Wittner doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where clothes and shoes are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| BangladeshUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far 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 |
| CambodiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| TürkiyeUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PakistanUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses little or no cotton (e.g. wool, linen or leather products)
- 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.
Research notes Wittner does not publish where its shoes are made or which factories make them; in a 2021 interview its then chief executive said it manufactures with offshore partners, including a long-time maker in China. Its website says only that leather comes from suppliers linked to the Leather Working Group, an environmental scheme for tanneries that does not cover pay or labour rights. No modern slavery statement, supplier list, audit results or living wage commitment has been published; it scored 10/100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Problem found | Scored 10 out of 100 in the 2026 Ethical Fashion Report (average 31.5), after 10 in 2024. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Wittner Shoes - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · 2026 Ethical Fashion Report: Wittner scored 10/100 (average 31.5); owned by The Shoe Group since June 2025; Leather Working Group member
- Wittner Shoes enters new future as Shoe Group takeover settled (Inside Retail) · search the archive · Shoe Group completed purchase in 2025; more than 170 employees retained; about 20 stores plus 25+ concessions
- Wittner showcases commitment to certified materials (Ragtrader) · search the archive · LWG-certified leather used for one collection; no manufacturing locations given
- Best foot forward: Q&A with Wittner CEO, Catherine Williamson (Inside Retail, 2021) · search the archive · Designed in Melbourne; made with offshore partners across the globe, incl. a long-time manufacturer in China
Published by Wittner or its owner
- Behind the shoes: production (Wittner) · search the archive · Leather sourced from suppliers via Leather Working Group partnership; no factories or countries named
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 170
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Wittner ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/wittner, 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 Wittner.