Cotton On Sustainability - SustainabilityTracker.com

Sustainability Summary

Good On You - Not Good Enough
Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
B Corp - Certified B Corporation, 99.0
Trustpilot - 1.9/5 (437 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.

What do our labels mean?

Cotton On presents itself as a global fashion business that is trying to cut its impact while it grows. Its sustainability pages say it focuses on better materials, lower-impact production, circular fashion, cleaner operations, and nature projects. It also says it uses an Ethical Framework and an Ethical Sourcing Program to guide decisions across its business and supply chain. Independent ratings are mixed. Good On You rates it “Not Good Enough,” while The Commons Earth says it is “Acceptable” and notes progress on materials, emissions, and reporting. Trustpilot reviews are poor overall, but those reviews are about customer service, not sustainability.

Positive Sentiment Found
Public sentiment is mixed, but there are some clear positive signals. Good On You says Cotton On is “Not Good Enough” overall, yet it still gives the brand a 2/5 for Planet, 3/5 for People, and 3/5 for Animals, which shows some progress in a few areas. The Commons Earth rates it “Acceptable” and says the brand has started to improve materials, report emissions, and set science-aligned reduction targets. It also notes that Cotton On uses some certified materials, has a renewable energy plan, and shares supplier information and a code of conduct. On the brand side, Cotton On’s own reporting says it has annual impact reporting, circular fashion partnerships, and nature projects, which may help 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 on 437 reviews for cottonon.com, but those reviews mainly reflect customer service rather than sustainability.

About Cotton On

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Cotton On Sustainability Actions

Published The Good Report

Cotton On launched its first impact report on 15 December 2021 and said it would report on its work every year after that. The report groups its sustainability work into five areas, including responsible materials, cotton sourcing, plastics and packaging, carbon, partnerships, and people. This matters because a public report gives readers a way to track what the company says it is doing over time, instead of relying only on broad claims.

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Removed single-use 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 encouraged shoppers to bring their own bags or buy a paper bag made with recycled content. This is a clear packaging and waste action.

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Expanded circular fashion work

Cotton On says it is building 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. The company also says it works with textile recycling partners to divert faulty goods from landfill. These steps fit the idea of circularity, which means keeping materials in use instead of throwing them away.

Improved materials and denim

Cotton On says it is choosing more reduced-impact materials, including recycled and organic fibres, and using water-saving technology in denim production. Good On You also says the brand uses some lower-impact materials and recycles some textile offcuts. The Commons Earth adds that the brand uses materials with certifications such as GRS, GOTS, RCS, and OCS, which are standards for recycled or organic content. These actions point to a push to lower material impact, even though the brand still relies heavily on high-impact fibres.

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Tracked emissions and energy

The Commons Earth says Cotton On publicly 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, and that it is working toward 100% renewable energy across operations by 2030. The brand’s own site also 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. This is a future target, not a finished action. Certified recycled material means the recycled content is checked against a recognised standard, which helps make the claim more reliable.

2030

Reach renewable energy across ops

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 July 2026, Cotton On has published sustainability reporting. Its first impact report, called The Good Report, was introduced on 15 December 2021, and the company says it will report annually. The Commons Earth also says the parent company publishes a detailed annual report with progress updates. This gives readers a public record of its goals and actions, although the level of detail varies by topic.. Sources: Cotton On Group, The Commons Earth, Sustainability Tracker - https://cottonongroup.com.au/news/the-good-report/, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

What is Cotton On's sustainability rating?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, Cotton On’s sustainability ratings are mixed. Good On You rates it “Not Good Enough,” which means the brand does not yet show enough strong evidence across planet, people, and animals. The Commons Earth rates it “Acceptable,” saying it has started to improve materials, emissions reporting, and accountability, but still has room to grow. These ratings come from different methods, so they should be read together.. 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://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

What sustainability certifications does Cotton On have?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, Cotton On is listed as a Certified B Corporation through The Cotton Group SA, with a score of 99.0. A B Corp is a certification for companies that meet social and environmental standards. The Commons Earth also says Cotton On uses some materials certified by GRS, GOTS, RCS, and OCS, which are standards for recycled or organic content. Public pages do not show a full list of product-level certifications for every item.. Sources: B Corp, The Commons Earth, Sustainability Tracker - https://www.bcorporation.net/find-a-b-corp/company/the-cotton-group-sa/, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

What is Cotton On's carbon footprint?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, The Commons Earth says Cotton On publicly reports company-level emissions and gives a 2024 estimated footprint of 526,674 tons CO2e. CO2e means carbon dioxide equivalent, a way to combine different greenhouse gases into one number. The same source says the brand has science-aligned reduction targets and is working toward renewable energy across operations, but it does not publish a full, easy-to-compare footprint breakdown for every part of the business.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Cotton On Group, Sustainability Tracker - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/, https://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

Is Cotton On's packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, Cotton On says it has made packaging improvements, but its packaging is not fully sustainable. The brand says it removed plastic shopping bags from its stores and now uses some recycled and FSC-certified materials in product containers. The Commons Earth still says it uses virgin plastic packaging, which means new plastic made from fossil fuels. So the packaging picture is mixed, with some progress but no full switch away from plastic.. Sources: Cotton On Group, The Commons Earth, Sustainability Tracker - https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

Is Cotton On ethical in its supply chain?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, Cotton On has some supply-chain policies, but independent reviews say there are still gaps. Good On You says the brand has a Code of Conduct, audits some suppliers, and has some financial-security initiatives, but it does not show enough evidence of living wages across most of the supply chain. The Commons Earth says the supplier code bans forced and child labour and includes environmental clauses, but it does not clearly require living wages or grievance systems. Consumers who want more detail can ask Cotton On for its latest supplier list and audit summary.. 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://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

What is Cotton On doing about sustainability?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, Cotton On says it is working on better materials, circular fashion, lower-energy operations, and nature projects. It has published annual impact reporting, removed single-use plastic bags, and says it is using more recycled and organic fibres, water-saving denim methods, and resale or recycling partnerships. Independent ratings confirm some progress, but they also say the brand still relies heavily on fast fashion and high-impact materials. Consumers can use the company’s sustainability pages and third-party ratings to check progress over time.. Sources: Cotton On Group, The Commons Earth, Good On You, Sustainability Tracker - https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on, https://sustainabilitytracker.com/brand/cotton-on/

Sustainability Summary

Cotton On Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary

What do our labels mean?

About Cotton On