Labour Lens

YETI

Lacks transparency

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Homewares, furniture & appliances

Partly verified: what this means

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources

Texas company selling insulated drinkware and coolers.

There's no proof YETI pays more than the legal minimum, which in China and Mexico is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

  • Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
  • Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production in high-risk countries. 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.

How grades are decided

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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Malaysia, 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
  • Met: High-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range

Red flags 2

  • Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
  • Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain

Stars it would earn as Good

None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars

Where it's made

YETI says which countries it makes its products in, but doesn't name the factories.

Where it's made, and conditions there
CountryWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
ChinaNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
MexicoRegular violationsBelow a living wageModerate
MalaysiaNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
PhilippinesNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
PolandRegular violationsClose to a living wageModerate
ThailandNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
United StatesSystematic violationsBelow a living wageLow
VietnamSystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate

Evidence

What we found

  • No high-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
  • Modern slavery statement

Research notes YETI owns no factories; its products are made by contract manufacturers in China, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Thailand, Vietnam and the US. It publishes no shares by country, though it has moved much of its drinkware production out of China since 2024. Suppliers must follow a code banning forced and child labour and recruitment fees, and get semi-announced audits by FLA-approved firms. YETI is not an FLA member, publishes no audit results or grievance numbers, and makes no living wage commitment.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterListedYETI's modern slavery statement for fiscal 2025 (dated May 2026) covers its Australian subsidiary, YETI Australia Pty Limited. View
Business & Human Rights Resource CentreNot listedNo labour abuse stories involving YETI suppliers appear on the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. View

Sources and actions

Sources 4

Show all 4 sources
  1. YETI Holdings Form 10-K FY2025 · search the archive · Core products made in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Mexico, Poland; owns no factories; about 1,390 employees
  2. Yeti to move 80% of drinkware capacity out of China (Supply Chain Dive) · search the archive · YETI aimed to move 80% of drinkware capacity out of China by end of 2025
  3. YETI Rambler Half Gallon Jug - BBQs & Outdoor · search the archive · YETI drinkware and coolers sold by BBQs & Outdoor, which has two Melbourne stores

Published by YETI or its owner

  1. YETI Modern Slavery Statement (fiscal 2025, June 2026) · search the archive · Suppliers in CN, MY, MX, PH, PL, TH, US, VN; no owned factories; supplier code bans recruitment fees; semi-announced audits by FLA-approved firms

Company details

Headquarters
United States
Employees
About 1,390
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is YETI ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/yeti, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

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