Cotton On Foundation has reached a cumulative $200 million in funds raised, marking 18 years since the retailer’s philanthropic arm was established as part of the Cotton On Group’s broader business model.
Launched in 2007, the Foundation was initially set up to address global poverty through education-led programs, with a focus on youth in developing markets where the Cotton On Group operates. The model was deliberately embedded into retail: 100 per cent of proceeds from selected low-cost, high-volume items such as reusable tote bags, bottled water and mints are directed to the Foundation, rather than relying on traditional corporate donations.
Over time, the scope of the Foundation’s work has expanded following customer feedback and changes in social priorities. Education remains a core pillar, but funding has broadened to include mental health initiatives, environmental programs and partnerships with First Nations communities in Australia.
According to the business, Foundation products are now sold at a rate of one every three seconds across Cotton On stores globally, making customer participation the primary driver of funding rather than discretionary corporate spend.
The Foundation’s education portfolio began with support for 25 schools across Uganda, South Africa and Thailand and has since scaled to include tertiary education pathways. Its mental health initiatives are reported to have reached more than two million young people globally, while environmental projects include reforestation programs across 11 countries, with more than one million trees planted, alongside reef conservation projects on the Great Barrier Reef.
Cotton On Foundation general manager Tim Diamond said the model reflects a shift in consumer expectations.
“With a Foundation product sold every three seconds in stores across the world, it shows that today’s generation isn’t just shopping for style – they’re shopping for purpose,” Diamond said.
One beneficiary, Shamiat, who received Foundation support to pursue a bachelor’s degree in real estate management, said access to education had opened pathways traditionally closed to women.
“Being a girl in a male-dominated field feels so amazing. Women used to not have any say. Now we are doing courses traditionally done by men,” she said.
The milestone positions the Cotton On Foundation as one of the larger retail-linked philanthropic models operating out of Australia, illustrating how cause-led initiatives are increasingly being hardwired into commercial retail strategies rather than treated as peripheral CSR activity.