Under Armour

How ethical is Under Armour?

Under Armour is an Activewear brand owned by Under Armour Inc. which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table.

Although Under Armour has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Under Armour if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby The Good Shopping Guide would make further detailed assessment and recommendations for ethical improvement.

Find out more about the ethical issues facing the Activewear sector and see how other brands score in our Ethical Activewear Ratings Table.

What does Under Armour do?

Under Armour is an American Activewear company based in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, who was 24 years old and a former captain of the University of Maryland football team.

In which areas does Under Armour perform poorly?

Despite Under Armour’s progress, there is still room for improvement. Umbro was marked down under our criteria for Organic and Better Cotton Initiative as it does not have certification.

Under Armour sells leather products so receives a middle rating for Animal Welfare.

Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Under Armour’s record

Under Armour has recently been criticised as one of the brands supplied by Sports City, the biggest employer in the Mactan Economic Zone (Philippines), which implemented a mass layoff of workers in 2022. It has also been criticised for a lack of progress in implementing a living wage for workers in its supply chain.

In which areas does Under Armour score well for its ethics?

Under Armour scores well for its robust Code of Conduct which follows international conventions. It also gains a high score in our Environmental Report criterion due to a recent Sustainability & Impact Report containing clear targets for recyclability and sustainability of materials and packaging.

We found no public record criticisms of Under Armour relating to Nuclear or Fossil Fuels, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Under Armour improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Under Armour is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Under Armour has some issues to resolve, including its lack of organic certification and use of leather. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Under Armour some guidance to improve on these areas.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our ethical mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to attain Ethical Accreditation, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.