Do we like them?

Do we like Cotton On?

Fast-fashion clothing, kids', stationery and homewares retailer (Cotton On Group), based in Geelong, Australia.

Our score: 5 out of 10. Mixed. It is a big fast-fashion chain with some old fines and weak public evidence on living wages, but it has acted on forced-labour concerns and set climate targets. We wouldn't rush to back it.

Cotton On started in Geelong in 1991 and is now a global chain. It's privately held, and founder Nigel Austin is described as the majority owner. Peter Johnson was named as CEO in 2021–22 reports, though we couldn't confirm that's still true.

It has had run-ins with the law. A Federal Court ordered a $1 million penalty over children's sleepwear that was too flammable to supply. The judge said senior managers were responsible for compliance.

On pay, the Fair Work Ombudsman investigated unpaid training and meeting time. Cotton On back-paid 3,289 staff more than $278,000 and apologised.

In 2019, after a Four Corners report on forced labour in Xinjiang, Cotton On reviewed its supply chain and stopped buying Xinjiang cotton. It also targets carbon neutrality by 2030. Fashion Checker, though, found no public proof that suppliers pay a living wage. That leaves it in the middle.