Cotton On

Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Cotton On “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses some lower-impact materials including recycled materials.
• It follows an unsustainable fast fashion model with quickly changing trends and regular new styles.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce water use.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals in manufacturing.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Cotton On “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• Little of its supply chain is certified by crucial labour standards that help ensure worker health and safety, living wages, and other rights.
• It received a score of 21-30% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index.
• There’s no evidence it implements practices to support diversity and inclusion in its direct operations or supply chain.
• It claims to have a program to improve wages but there’s no evidence it ensures its workers are paid living wages in most of its supply chain.
• During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not disclose adequate policies or safeguards to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Cotton On “It’s a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It has a formal animal welfare policy aligned with Five Freedoms but has no clear mechanisms to implement.
• It appears to use wool and leather.
• It doesn’t appear to use down, fur, angora, exotic animal skin, or exotic animal hair.
• There’s no evidence it traces any animal-derived materials to the first production stage.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Cotton On “Not Good Enough” overall.