Cotton On Foundation launch Australia’s first 100 percent aluminium bottled water

25th September, 2020

You spoke, we listened. That’s why we’re removing all single use plastic water bottles from Cotton On Group Australia stores and replacing them with the country’s first resealable aluminium bottled water. With 100 percent of proceeds contributing to quality education projects in Uganda, South Africa, Thailand and Australia – it’s infinitely recyclable and still life-changing.

In partnership with Wallaby Water, the unique 70 percent recycled aluminium packaging is the first of its kind in Australia and will compete against plastic, cartons and glass packaging as the nation’s most recycled and recyclable packaging alternative for bottled water.

91% of Australian households have access to kerbside recycling that accepts aluminium cans, and 70 percent of cans will make it to a recycling facility. Cotton On Foundation’s aluminium water bottle is infinitely recyclable without material loss, meaning the creation of new aluminium products uses just 5 percent of the energy required to make new aluminium. Over time, recycling aluminium saves energy and reduces the product’s carbon footprint through repeated cycles.

“Wallaby aims to play a role in Australia’s transformation to a circular economy by encouraging greater resource recovery and waste avoidance by using 100 percent and infinitely recyclable aluminium cans and bottles. Above all else, our brand is a mouthpiece for education and awareness about the problems caused by discarded plastic and the benefits of aluminium packaging,” said Dominic Goldsworthy, Founder and Director of Wallaby.

Currently, over a million plastic beverage bottles are sold every minute worldwide, amassing a huge 525.6 billion bottles per year. While Cotton On Foundation is entirely dedicated to empowering youth through the delivery of quality educational projects, it recognises that one good thing should not come at the cost of another… our planet!

“At Cotton On Foundation, we want to create a better world for the next generation. One simple step to do this is on a personal level is to always have your own reusable water bottle, but when you’re caught out and didn’t bring one, we now provide our customers with a bottle that’s not only better for the environment but changes lives… encouraging a world without single use plastic,” said Tim Diamond, General Manager of Cotton On Foundation.

The introduction of this new aluminium bottle will save 40 tonnes of plastic per year in Australia.

“An iconic product in the Cotton On Foundation range, to date, our water bottle has raised a significant amount of funds that have contributed to our global education programs. We’ve been on a journey over the past few years and our customers and team members have challenged us to find a more sustainable water bottle. Aluminium, with its high rate of recyclability has definitely been welcomed by customers and team members alike,” said Jade Slater, Head of Product for Cotton On Foundation.