Cotton On Group Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary

Good On You - Not Good Enough (2/5 Planet, 3/5 People, 3/5 Animals)
Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
B Corp - 99.0
Trustpilot - 1.8/5 (445 reviews)
This is an unclaimed profile. Cotton On Group has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.

Cotton On Group shows a mixed sustainability picture. Independent ratings say it has made some progress on materials, emissions, and supply chain reporting, but it still relies heavily on fast fashion, synthetic materials, and low-cost production. Good On You rates the brand “Not Good Enough,” while The Commons Earth says it is “Acceptable” because it has started to improve some areas. The group also publishes annual reporting and has set targets on energy and emissions. At the same time, reviewers and rating bodies point to gaps in transparency, limited repair or take-back options, and concerns about labour and material choices.

Positive Sentiment Found
Public sentiment is mixed, but there are some positive signals from independent assessors. The Commons Earth rates Cotton On as “Acceptable,” saying it has started to improve its materials and take responsibility for emissions, and it notes progress on renewable energy, emissions reporting, and textile recycling with UPPAREL. It also says the company publishes supplier information and a code of conduct, which gives more visibility into its supply chain. B Lab lists The Cotton Group SA as a certified B Corporation with a score of 99.0, and B Corp certification is given to companies that meet social and environmental standards. These points suggest the group has made measurable progress, even if it is still seen as having room to improve.

Common Criticisms:
Negative sentiment is stronger in the independent ratings and customer reviews. Good On You rates Cotton On “Not Good Enough,” with a 2 out of 5 for Planet, 3 out of 5 for People, and 3 out of 5 for Animals. It says the brand follows an unsustainable fast fashion model, uses few lower-impact materials, does not publish a full materials breakdown, and does not clearly show living wages across most of its supply chain. The Commons Earth also flags heavy reliance on high-emissions materials, no repair service, no take-back program, and only partial transparency on packaging and energy. Customer reviews on Trustpilot are also poor, with scores around 1.8 to 1.9 out of 5 across hundreds of reviews, and complaints mention quality and service problems. Together, these sources point to weak public trust and ongoing concerns about transparency and overproduction.

About Cotton On Group

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Cotton On Group Sustainability Actions

Publishes annual sustainability reporting

Cotton On Group publishes an annual report that includes sustainability and impact information. The Commons Earth says the latest annual report was published in 2024 and that it gives a clear strategy and progress updates. This matters because it lets outside readers see what the company says it is doing, rather than relying only on marketing claims. The report also appears to include company-level emissions data and progress against targets.

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Measures and reports emissions

The Commons Earth says Cotton On measures and publicly reports its company-level emissions with third-party auditing or support. It also says the brand breaks emissions down by scope, which means it separates direct emissions, purchased energy, and other indirect emissions. The most recent reporting period mentioned is 2024, and the estimated footprint was 526,674 tons of CO2e, a standard way to count greenhouse gases together.

Uses renewable energy in operations

Cotton On has started using renewable energy in its own operations, such as stores or offices. The Commons Earth says the company claims renewable energy use in New Zealand and has also put energy-efficiency measures into storefronts. This is a real step, but the same source says the brand does not clearly show that this covers all of its operations or supply chain.

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Uses some certified materials

The Commons Earth says Cotton On uses some materials with certifications such as GRS, GOTS, RCS, and OCS. These are standards that check things like recycled content or organic fibre content. The brand still relies heavily on high-emissions materials, but it has started to include lower-impact options in some products. Good On You also notes that it uses few lower-impact materials overall and does not publish a full breakdown of materials used.

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Recycles some textile offcuts

Good On You says Cotton On recycles some of its textile offcuts to reduce waste. The Commons Earth also says the brand works with UPPAREL textile recycling to divert faulty goods from landfill. These actions show some effort to keep material waste out of disposal streams, although the brand is still described as a fast fashion business that creates excess waste.

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Cotton On Group Sustainability Commitments

2028

Shift to certified recycled materials

The Commons Earth says Cotton On plans to transition plastic, polyester, and other synthetic materials to a certified recycled alternative by 2028. This is a future target, not something already completed. It suggests the company wants to reduce its reliance on virgin fossil-based fibres, which are linked to higher emissions and waste.

2028

Raise recycled cotton in denim

The Commons Earth says Cotton On plans to increase recycled cotton use in its new denim from 40% to 50% by 2028. Denim is a major product area for the brand, so this target could affect a large part of its material footprint. The source presents this as part of the company’s effort to improve its materials mix.

2030

Reach 100% renewable energy

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 like wind or solar instead of fossil fuels. The source also says the company has already started using renewable energy in some operations, but this target covers a wider future goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Cotton On Group published a sustainability report?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On Group has published annual reporting that includes sustainability and impact information. The Commons Earth says the latest annual report was published in 2024 and that it gives a clear strategy and progress updates. This is useful because it lets readers see some of the company’s own data, including emissions and targets. Consumers who want the latest version can check Cotton On Group’s corporate sustainability pages and annual report links.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Cotton On Group - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/sustainability/

What is Cotton On Group's sustainability rating?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On Group has mixed third-party ratings. Good On You rates Cotton On “Not Good Enough” and gives it 2/5 for Planet, 3/5 for People, and 3/5 for Animals. The Commons Earth rates it “Acceptable,” which means it has made some progress but still has clear gaps. These ratings use different methods, so they should be read as separate views rather than one single score.. Sources: Good On You, The Commons Earth - https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on

What sustainability certifications does Cotton On Group have?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On Group is listed by B Lab as a certified B Corporation through The Cotton Group SA, with a score of 99.0. B Corp is a certification for companies that meet social and environmental standards. The Commons Earth also says Cotton On uses materials with certifications such as GRS, GOTS, RCS, and OCS, which are standards for recycled or organic content in textiles. These certifications apply to some materials, not necessarily every product.. Sources: B Corp, The Commons Earth - https://www.bcorporation.net/find-a-b-corp/company/the-cotton-group-sa/, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on

What is Cotton On Group's carbon footprint?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, The Commons Earth says Cotton On’s most recent reported estimated emissions footprint was 526,674 tons of CO2e for the 2024 reporting period. CO2e means carbon dioxide equivalent, a way to combine different greenhouse gases into one number. The source says the company reports emissions by scope and has third-party support or auditing, but this figure is an estimate rather than a full independent audit of every part of the business.. Sources: The Commons Earth - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on

Is Cotton On Group's packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Cotton On has made some packaging improvements, but its packaging is not fully sustainable based on the available information. The Commons Earth says the brand has made efforts to reduce packaging material and uses some recycled and FSC-certified materials, but it still uses virgin plastic packaging. FSC means paper or wood from responsibly managed forests. The company has not publicly shown that all packaging is reusable, refillable, or plastic-free.. Sources: The Commons Earth - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on

Is Cotton On Group ethical in its supply chain?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On has some supply chain policies, but there are still concerns. The Commons Earth says the company publishes supplier names and locations for Tier 1 manufacturing and has a code of conduct that bans forced labour and child labour. It also says the brand audits some suppliers. However, the same source says there is no clear evidence of living wages, grievance systems, or a ban on unauthorized subcontracting across the whole supply chain. Consumers who want more detail can ask the company for its latest supplier list and audit summary.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Cotton On Group - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://cottonongroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Supplier-Ethical-and-Sustainable-Business-Code-of-Conduct-20231113.pdf

What is Cotton On Group doing about sustainability?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Cotton On says it is working on emissions, energy, materials, and waste. Independent sources say it measures and reports emissions, has targets to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030, plans to shift synthetic materials to certified recycled alternatives by 2028, and wants to raise recycled cotton in denim by 2028. It also recycles some textile offcuts and works with UPPAREL to divert faulty goods from landfill. The main gap is that the brand is still described as a fast fashion business with heavy material use and limited repair or take-back options.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Good On You - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/661/cotton-on, https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/cotton-on

Sustainability Summary

About Cotton On Group

Cotton On Group Sustainability Actions