Labour Lens

Zimmermann

Lacks transparency

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

Clothing & footwear

Partly verified: what this means

Last researched 2 November 2026 · 5 sources

Sydney-founded luxury fashion label.

There's no proof Zimmermann 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 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.

How grades are decided

  • Checks its own supply chain. Zimmermann looks for problems in its own supply chain and publishes what it finds. It found unpaid or underpaid wages in 2024 and is fixing it, so it doesn't count against the grade. It's listed below under Confirmed issues.

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 rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
  • 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 (cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: cotton

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

China has the largest share, 74%. Italy is next, at 7%.

Where it's made, share by country, and conditions there
CountryShareWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
China74%No guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
Italy7%Strong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
Vietnam5%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
Sri Lanka4%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
Portugal3%Strong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
India1%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
Türkiye1%No guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageVery high
Madagascar1%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
Spain1%Strong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
Indonesia1%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
Ecuador1%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
Australia1%Strong protectionsAbout a living wageLow

Evidence

What we found

  • Modern slavery statement
  • Independent social audits of all its main factories
  • Doesn't show where its cotton comes from. Cotton is linked to forced labour in Xinjiang and Turkmenistan, and child labour in several growing regions, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.

Research notes About 77% of Zimmermann's finished-goods spend is in China, with the rest mainly in Italy, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Portugal (FY2025). It owns no factories and publishes no supplier list, but reports supplier counts (72 tier 1 factories), audits of 44 of 46 garment factories and 16 of 26 accessory and footwear sites, and a worker hotline in 11 Chinese factories covering about 56% of spend; all 29 grievances raised, mostly about pay and contracts, were resolved. It has no living wage commitment; it says it is assessing the gap to a living wage.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportListedNo 2026 Ethical Fashion Report score is shown for Zimmermann; it scored 51 out of 100 in the 2024 edition, in the top 20% of companies rated. View
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterListedAnnual modern slavery statements (FY2025) give finished-goods spend by country, supplier and factory counts and audit coverage; no forced or child labour was identified in audits. View

Confirmed issues 1

Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted

Last recordedWhat happenedMade amends?
2024Zimmermann's FY2024 modern slavery statement reports that a worker at a supplier's garment factory raised delayed wage payments and missing employment contracts and payslips through its grievance hotline (Zimmermann, 2024). Source · search the archiveFound and being fixed by the company Not counted against the grade while the company is actively fixing it, because it found and published it itself.YesThe supplier paid the wage arrears and began issuing contracts and payslips and paying on time; Zimmermann says it keeps monitoring the factory.

Sources and actions

Sources 5

Show all 5 sources
  1. Zimmermann - Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · 2024 Ethical Fashion Report 51/100, top 20%; no 2026 score shown; Advent International owns 70%
  2. How Zimmermann is uncovering supply chain grievances (Ragtrader) · search the archive · Hotline in 11 Chinese factories; grievances mainly incorrect pay

Published by Zimmermann or its owner

  1. Zimmermann Modern Slavery Statement FY2025 · search the archive · Spend: China 77%, Italy 7%, Vietnam 5%, Sri Lanka 4%, Portugal 3%; 44 of 46 garment sites audited; 29 grievances resolved; no forced labour found
  2. Zimmermann Modern Slavery Statement FY2024 · search the archive · Spend by country: China 82%; delayed wages and missing contracts case at a supplier factory remedied
  3. CSR governance (Zimmermann) · search the archive · Owns no factories; FY25 tier 1: 46 garment and 26 accessory/footwear factories; living wage gap being assessed

Company details

Headquarters
Australia
Last researched
2 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Zimmermann ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/zimmermann, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

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