Cotton On Sustainability - SustainabilityTracker.com

Sustainability Summary

Good On You - Not good enough
Ethical Consumer - Locked
B Corp - Not found
Trustpilot - 1.9/5 (446 reviews)
This is an unclaimed profile. Cotton On has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.

Cotton On presents itself as a global fashion business trying to lower its impact while it grows. Its sustainability pages focus on better materials, circular fashion, cleaner operations, and nature projects. It says it uses an Ethical Framework and an Ethical Sourcing Program to guide choices across its business and supply chain. Independent ratings are mixed. Good On You rates it poorly overall, while The Commons Earth says it has made some progress on materials, emissions, and reporting. Trustpilot reviews are weak, but those mainly reflect customer service rather than sustainability.

Positive Sentiment Found
Public sentiment is mixed, but there are some clear positive signals. Good On You gives Cotton On a 2/5 for Planet, 3/5 for People, and 3/5 for Animals, which shows some progress in a few areas even though the overall rating is still “Not Good Enough.” The Commons Earth rates the brand “Acceptable” and says it has started to improve materials, report emissions, and set science-aligned reduction targets. It also notes some use of certified materials, a renewable energy plan, and published supplier information and a code of conduct. Cotton On’s own reporting on annual impact updates, circular fashion partnerships, and nature projects also helps explain why some independent assessors see movement in the right direction.

Common Criticisms:
The strongest criticism comes from Good On You, which rates Cotton On “Not Good Enough” overall and says the brand follows a fast fashion model, uses few lower-impact materials, and does not publish a full breakdown of the materials it uses. It also says Cotton On does not show enough evidence that workers in most of its supply chain are paid living wages, and that it did not disclose enough safeguards for supply-chain workers during Covid-19. The Commons Earth also flags problems, saying the brand still relies heavily on high-emissions materials, uses virgin plastic packaging, and does not offer repair or take-back services. Trustpilot reviews are poor too, with a 1.9/5 score from 446 reviews on cottonon.com, though those reviews mainly reflect customer service rather than sustainability.

About Cotton On

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Cotton On Sustainability Actions

Published its first impact report

Cotton On launched its first impact report on 15 December 2021 and said it would report every year after that. The report groups its sustainability work into areas such as materials, cotton sourcing, plastics and packaging, carbon, partnerships, and people. A public report like this gives outside readers a way to track what the company says it is doing over time.

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Removed single-use shopping bags

Cotton On said it removed plastic shopping bags from its global store network, starting in New Zealand in October 2018 and reaching its goal in April 2019. It said this stopped 38 million plastic bags from entering the environment each year. It also told shoppers to bring their own bags or use a paper bag made with recycled content.

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Built circular fashion partnerships

Cotton On says it is creating resale, reuse, and recycling pathways so products and fibres stay in use for longer. It names partners such as Thread Together in Australia, World Vision in the US, and eBay Australia. It also says it works with textile recycling partners to divert faulty goods from landfill. Circularity means keeping materials in use instead of throwing them away.

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Improved materials and denim

Cotton On says it is using more reduced-impact materials, including recycled and organic fibres, and lower-impact production methods. It also says it uses water-saving technology in denim production. Good On You says the brand recycles some textile offcuts, and The Commons Earth says it uses some certified materials such as GRS, GOTS, RCS, and OCS, which are standards for recycled or organic content.

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Tracked emissions and energy

The Commons Earth says Cotton On reports company-level emissions, including a breakdown by scope, which means it separates direct emissions, purchased energy, and supply chain emissions. It also says the brand has science-aligned emissions reduction targets for the short and long term. Cotton On’s own site says it is reducing energy use and increasing renewables in stores and logistics.

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Cotton On Sustainability Commitments

2028

Shift to certified recycled materials

The Commons Earth says Cotton On plans to move plastic, polyester, and other synthetic materials to certified recycled alternatives by 2028. Certified recycled material means the recycled content is checked against a recognised standard, which makes the claim more reliable.

2030

Reach renewable energy across operations

The Commons Earth says Cotton On has a target to use 100% renewable energy across its operations by 2030. Renewable energy means power from sources that can be replaced naturally, such as wind or solar. The brand also says it is already increasing renewables in stores and operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Cotton On published a sustainability report?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On has published sustainability reporting. Its first impact report, called The Good Report, was launched on 15 December 2021, and the company said it would report every year after that. Sustainability Tracker also says the brand has annual reporting. This gives readers a public record of its goals and actions, although the detail varies by topic.. Sources: Cotton On Sustainability Tracker, Cotton On Sustainability, Cotton On News - https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/, https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/, https://cottonongroup.com.au/news/the-good-report/

What is Cotton On's sustainability rating?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On’s sustainability ratings are mixed. Good On You rates it “Not good enough,” with 2/5 for Planet, 3/5 for People, and 3/5 for Animals. The Commons Earth rates it “Acceptable,” which means it sees some progress but still finds important gaps. Together, these ratings suggest the brand is moving in some areas but is not yet a strong performer overall.. Sources: Good On You, The Commons Earth, Sustainability Tracker - https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/

What sustainability certifications does Cotton On have?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Cotton On’s sustainability pages and independent summaries mention some certified materials, including GRS, GOTS, RCS, and OCS. These are standards for recycled or organic content. The Commons Earth also says the brand uses certified materials, but the exact product-level certifications are not fully listed in the material provided. Consumers who want proof for a specific item should check the product label or ask Cotton On directly.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Cotton On Sustainability, Sustainability Tracker - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/, https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/

What is Cotton On's carbon footprint?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Cotton On has not publicly shared a single simple carbon-footprint number in the material provided. The Commons Earth says the brand reports company-level emissions with a breakdown by scope, which means it separates direct emissions, purchased energy, and supply-chain emissions. It also says Cotton On has science-aligned reduction targets and a goal of 100% renewable energy across operations by 2030. Consumers can look for the latest emissions report for more detail.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Sustainability Tracker, Cotton On Sustainability - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/, https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/

Is Cotton On's packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Cotton On has taken some packaging steps, but it has not fully proved that all packaging is sustainable. It removed plastic shopping bags from its stores and said it uses paper bags with recycled content. Good On You says it provides evidence on efforts to reduce packaging, while The Commons Earth says it still uses virgin plastic packaging. That means the picture is mixed, not fully resolved.. Sources: Sustainability Tracker, Good On You, The Commons Earth - https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/, https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on

Is Cotton On ethical in its supply chain?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On has some supply-chain policies, but independent reviews still raise concerns. Good On You says its Code of Conduct covers ILO principles (International Labour Organization rules on worker rights) and that it audits some suppliers, including all final production sites. But it also says there is not enough evidence of living wages across most of the supply chain and that Covid-19 worker safeguards were not fully disclosed. That means the brand has policies, but transparency is still limited.. Sources: Good On You, Sustainability Tracker, Cotton On Sustainability - https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on, https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/, https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/

What is Cotton On doing about sustainability?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On says it is working on better materials, circular fashion, cleaner operations, and nature projects. It has removed single-use shopping bags, published annual impact reporting, expanded resale and recycling partnerships, and says it is increasing renewable energy use. Independent sources confirm some of this progress, but they also say the brand still has major gaps in materials transparency, supply-chain wages, and packaging.. Sources: Cotton On Sustainability, Sustainability Tracker, Good On You - https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/, https://www.sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cottons-australia/, https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on

Cotton On Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary

About Cotton On