Cotton On

Cotton On appears to heavily rely on high emissions and/or synthetic materials while also using some lower emissions materials. It uses materials that have certifications from GRS, GOTS, RCS, OCS and more. It has plans to reduce its reliance on high emissions materials, which include transitioning plastic, polyester, and synthetic materials to a certified recycled alternative by 2028 and increasing recycled cotton usage from 40% to 50% in its new denim.

Cotton On shares information on its energy strategy. It has started to incorporate renewable energy to power its operations. Cotton On claims to use renewable energy in its New Zealand operations but doesn't specify source, or this covers all of its operations. It has targets for expanding its use of renewable energy to 100% across operations by 2030. It implements energy efficiency measures in its storefronts. Cotton On sources and manufactures its materials globally, which is standard practice in the textile industry.

Cotton On has made efforts to minimize the amount of material used in its packaging. It still uses virgin plastic packaging, but also uses eco-friendly materials in its product containers, including ones that are recycled and FSC-certified.

Cotton On doesn't offer repair services or support. Cotton On offers returns indefinitely for a refund or exchange, but it's unclear what happens to these items. It gives basic care instructions that can help extend product lifespan.

Cotton On doesn't currently offer a take back program to help keep its products out of landfill.

Cotton On is a fast fashion brand which continually overproduces products, incentivizes overconsumption, and creates excess waste. It has a pilot program to limit waste via reusing waste/deadstock.

Commons is still evaluating this brand's marketing emails.

Cotton On has a sustainability page with details on its climate strategy, but this page is hard to find on its website. Its parent company, Cotton On Group, publishes a detailed annual report with a clear, impact-driven strategy and progress reporting. Its last annual report was published in 2024.

Cotton On internally measures and publicly reports its company-level emissions in partnership with, or with auditing from, a third party. It includes a breakdown by scope and identifies its top driver of emissions. The last reporting period was 2024. In its most recent update, its estimated emissions footprint was 526,674 tons CO2e.

Cotton On has science-aligned emissions reduction targets for the short-term (1-5 years) and the long-term (10+ years). It has reported on its progress within the past year, and is on track for some of its targets. Commons couldn't find evidence that this brand offsets any emissions.

Cotton On publishes information about its supply chain partners, disclosing their names and locations across Tier 1 (final production manufacturing). It publicly shares a supplier code of conduct, which prohibits forced labor, prohibits child labor, ensures the right to collective bargaining, and includes environmental clauses. Its code of conduct doesn't disallow unauthorized subcontracting, ensure a living wage, or establish grievance mechanisms. Cotton On has a stated policy of regularly auditing its supply chain partners, which can mitigate human and environmental risks.