Cotton On Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (fashion, apparel, stationery) |
| Founded | 1991 in Geelong, Australia |
| Founder | Nigel Austin |
| Headquarters | Geelong , Australia |
Area served | 18 countries |
Key people | Nigel Austin (Founder) |
| Products | Fashion, apparel, stationery |
Number of employees | 22,000 (2020) |
| Website | cottonon |
Cotton On Group is an Australian-based retail enterprise that focuses on fashion, apparel, and stationery brands. As of 2020, it operates more than 1,500 outlets throughout 18 countries, employing a workforce of 22,000 individuals across eight distinct brands: Cotton On, Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body, Factorie, Typo, Rubi, Supré, Ceres, and Cotton On Foundation.
The design team located in Australia oversees the entire production process—from merchandise planning through to detailed specifications—while manufacturing is contracted out to around 850 suppliers worldwide. Key sourcing nations include China, Bangladesh, India, and Australia, with additional manufacturing partners in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, the United States, and various other Asian regions. These suppliers operate under a horizontal division of labor rather than an integrated system.
Cotton On Group serves as a prominent sponsor for the Geelong Football Club within Australian rules football and supports the AFL Women's competition.
1990s
Founded by Nigel Austin in 1991, Cotton On opened its inaugural store in Geelong, Australia.
2000s
The company broadened its brand range by launching Cotton On Kids in 2004, followed by the introduction of Cotton On Body, Factorie, and Typo in 2007, and Rubi in 2008. In 2013, Cotton On acquired the Australian youth fashion label Supré. The brand’s international growth commenced in 2006 with a store opening at New Zealand’s Queensgate Shopping Centre. Presently, Cotton On operates across 19 countries.
2010s
In December 2012, Cotton On was penalized with a $1 million fine for marketing children’s sleepwear that failed to meet Australian fire safety regulations and was inaccurately labeled as low fire danger. The fines included $400,000 each for unsafe nightdresses and pajamas plus $200,000 for deceptive labeling practices.
In October 2016, Cotton On Group secured an exclusive three-year agreement to supply uniforms for the AFL Women's League, strengthening its involvement in sports apparel.
By February 2019, Cotton On expanded its online inventory on Australian and New Zealand platforms to include sex toys with accompanying content advisories.
In July 2019, investigations uncovered that Cotton On sourced cotton from Xinjiang amid allegations of forced labor. After conducting an internal audit, the company halted cotton procurement from this region in October 2019 due to human rights concerns.
Cotton On
Cotton On stands as the primary brand within the Cotton On Group and traces its origins back to Nigel Austin’s first sale of a denim jacket in 1988. The initial retail store launched three years later.
Cotton On Kids
Introduced in 2004, Cotton On Kids provides a variety of children's clothing, including baby clothing, activewear, dress-ups, fashion accessories, swimwear, gifts, footwear, and stationery products. In 2013, the Free by Cotton On line was created for ages 9 to 14 but was replaced in 2020 by Cotton On Kids Youth offering extended sizing options (up to size 16 for Girls and size 20 for Boys) within the same collection.
Cotton On Body
Established in 2007, Cotton On Body focuses on underwear and sleepwear, later broadening its offerings to encompass swimwear and activewear collections.
Factorie
Acquired in 2007, Factorie focuses on youth-oriented fashion and operates more than 160 outlets throughout Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Rubi
Introduced in 2008, Rubi specializes in footwear and accessory products.
Typo
Typo is a stationery retailer with locations across Australia, Asia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Additionally, certain Typo items are available through UK retailers ASOS and WHSmith.
Supré
Established in 1984 as a retailer of young women's apparel, Supré became part of the Cotton On Group in 2013. At its height, the brand employed over 1,000 staff members across more than 100 stores in Australia and New Zealand. By 2020, all Supré outlets in New Zealand had been closed.
Lost
Cotton On Lost was a travel luggage and accessory line launched in late 2018 but has since been discontinued.
Ceres Life
Ceres Life, launched in April 2020 as Cotton On Group’s eighth brand, caters to women aged 30 and above with an emphasis on sustainability. Its product range incorporates responsibly sourced fabrics such as recycled materials, rescued textiles, organically grown fibers, and eco-certified or natural fabrics.
Stores
As of January 2025, Cotton On operates a total of 1,298 stores worldwide.
Oceania
The company runs 670 stores within Oceania:
- Australia (574)
- New Zealand (96)
Africa and the Middle East
There are 136 locations across Africa and 29 within the Middle East:
- Botswana (3)
- Namibia (4)
- Oman (1)
- South Africa (129)
- United Arab Emirates (28)
Americas
Cotton On manages 210 stores in North America and 28 across South America:
- Brazil (27)
- Canada (1)
- United States (209)
- Venezuela (1)
Asia
The brand operates 205 outlets throughout Asia:
- Hong Kong (4)
- Indonesia (36)
- Malaysia (78)
- Philippines (36)
- Singapore (37)
- Vietnam (14)
Europe
Cotton On maintains a presence with 20 stores located in the United Kingdom.
Closed
Previously, Cotton On maintained operations in Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand but has since exited these markets.
Loyalty program
Cotton On Perks is the company’s loyalty initiative with a membership exceeding 2.4 million individuals, making it one of Australia's most extensive retail rewards programs.