Cotton On
Partly verifiedCotton On raises serious concerns: there are reports of forced or child labour in its supply chain, and workers in China, Bangladesh and India are very unlikely to earn a living wage. Cotton On stopped buying cotton from Xinjiang in October 2019 after an internal investigation that followed ABC Four Corners reporting linking its cotton to the region's forced labour system (ABC and Channel News, 2019).
Last researched 7 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 1 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 0 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 4
- Does not pay a living wage
- Hidden or unaudited supply chain (no certification or documentation, or major production in countries with poor worker rights without independent audits)
- Instances of forced, slave or child labour
- Failing or very low scores on independent ratings
Where it's made
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China 50% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Bangladesh 25% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
| India 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | High |
| Vietnam 10% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- Cotton is linked to forced labour (Xinjiang, Turkmenistan) and child labour in several growing regions.
- Publishes supplier list
- Signed the International Accord on garment factory safety
- Modern slavery statement
- Low or failing score on an independent rating
Most Cotton On products are made by outside suppliers, mainly in China and Bangladesh, with India and Vietnam also used; the group publishes a supplier list and reported 586 social audits in FY23. It signed the Bangladesh Accord in 2013 and the International Accord, and ran a 2023 living wage gap analysis across 308 factories in China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, but sets no target or deadline for paying a living wage. It scored 45/100 in the 2024 Ethical Fashion Report and 22% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, and no Fairtrade cotton use is disclosed.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Found | Scored 45 out of 100 in the 2024 Ethical Fashion Report, after an A grade under the older grading system in 2018. View ↗ |
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Found | Scored 22% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, below the 26% average. View ↗ |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Found | Cotton On Group lodges annual modern slavery statements, most recently reviewed for FY2023. View ↗ |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Unclear | No Cotton On Group statement appears in a search of the UK registry; its UK turnover may fall below the reporting threshold. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Found | Has a company profile covering the 2019 Xinjiang cotton exit and a forced labour story on Uyghur workers, with one response request answered. View ↗ |
Confirmed issues
Problems confirmed by a court, regulator, completed investigation or the company itself. Issues more than 15 years old, or 10–15 years old where the company made amends, are removed. Problems a company finds and publishes itself, and is fixing, are shown but don't count against it.
| When | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Cotton On stopped buying cotton from Xinjiang in October 2019 after an internal investigation that followed ABC Four Corners reporting linking its cotton to the region's forced labour system (ABC and Channel News, 2019). | Partly Stopped buying cotton from Xinjiang in 2019. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Oxfam Australia's 2019 'Made in Poverty' report named Cotton On among Australian brands whose supply chains in Bangladesh and Vietnam rely on workers paid too little to meet basic needs; Cotton On said it takes workers' rights seriously and pointed to its ACT living wage membership (Oxfam, 2019). Source ↗
Sources (11)
- Cotton On Group Commitment to Living Wages 2024 · archived copy · 2023 living wage gap analysis of 308 factories in China, Bangladesh and Vietnam; no living wage target or deadline
- Cotton On Group Modern Slavery Statement FY2023 · archived copy · Majority sourced from China and Bangladesh; supplier disclosure list published; 586 audits in FY23; policy against cotton from high-risk regions
- Cotton On Group Modern Slavery Statement 2021 · archived copy · Modern slavery statement lodged on the Australian register; most goods made in China and Bangladesh
- Cotton On Group - Wikipedia · archived copy · Geelong headquarters, about 22,000 employees, suppliers mainly in China, Bangladesh, India; Xinjiang cotton exit in 2019
- Cotton On speaks out - Ragtrader · archived copy · Signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh in June 2013
- Cotton On - Shop Ethical (ethical.org.au) · archived copy · 45/100 in the 2024 Ethical Fashion Report; 22/100 in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index; International Accord signatory; Uzbek Cotton Pledge signatory
- How ethical is Cotton On? - Good On You · archived copy · Rated 'Not Good Enough'; 21-30% in 2023 Fashion Transparency Index; no evidence of living wages in most of its supply chain
- Cotton On, Target stop buying from Xinjiang, China - Channel News · archived copy · October 2019: Cotton On stopped sourcing Xinjiang cotton after internal investigation following ABC Four Corners report
- Cotton On and Target Australia stop buying cotton from Xinjiang - BHRRC · archived copy · BHRRC coverage of the 2019 Xinjiang cotton exit
- New report claims Australian apparel is made in poverty - Just Style · archived copy · Oxfam 2019 report naming Cotton On and its response
- Ethical Fashion Report 2018 - Eternity News · archived copy · A grade in 2018 Ethical Fashion Report but not yet paying a living wage
Last researched 7 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.