Tod’s is said to have facilitated “severe labor exploitation”.

The Milan public prosecutor’s office has requested that the Marche-based company Tod’s spa be placed under receivership. The company is accused of negligently encouraging the “severe exploitation of workers” along its production chain.

Prosecutor Paolo Storari’s application is addressed to the Italian Court of Cassation. He has scheduled a hearing for November 19 after an initial request was rejected by the Milan court’s preventive measures department.

As the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reports, the Court of Cassation will decide on November 19 which judicial authority is responsible for examining the facts presented by the public prosecutor’s office and the carabinieri. The report describes conditions such as “starvation wages; night and holiday work; dilapidated places where people work, eat and sleep” and machines without safety systems to increase productivity.

These factors lead to “nineteenth-century working conditions.” Here, “two seemingly distant worlds, that of luxury on the one hand and that of Chinese workshops on the other, come together for a single goal: reducing costs and maximizing profits by circumventing penal labor laws.” This behavior “actually encourages, albeit negligently, the use of undeclared or irregular work, the withholding of wages and contributions and the exploitation of workers”.

According to the newspaper, Tod’s confirmed receipt of the hearing notice and said it had no further information about the allegations. The company adds that it always acts in accordance with labor laws. It also ensures that it carries out constant checks on its suppliers. They sign agreements in which they undertake to comply with the working conditions set out in the national contracts. FashionUnited has contacted the company for comment.

Tod’s’ role in the investigation into illegal recruitment and exploitation in Chinese factories in the Italian fashion industry had already emerged in July 2025. This happened during the investigation that led to the receivership of Loro Piana.

Tod’s spa is currently not under investigation. However, the company is held responsible for the lack of control over its production chain.

On September 27, Tod’s won the Sustainable Fashion Award 2025 during Milan Fashion Week. The award, organized by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, was presented in the craft and artistry category. The award was given to the innovative project ‘Tod’s Passport’, a digital product passport for the brand’s two iconic products: the ‘Di Bag’ and the ‘Gommino’.

“This project, carried out with the support of the Aura Blockchain Consortium and Temera, demonstrates Tod’s commitment to sustainability. It is designed to ensure traceability, authenticity and transparency throughout the entire production process and to offer customers a more complete and conscious experience,” said a statement from the Marche-based company. This statement appears to be in extreme contrast to the prosecution’s claims.