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Cotton On Connect 2024

12th August, 2024

This August, our global supplier partners came together in Geelong for Cotton On Connect 2024—five days of collaboration, one inspiring conference, a huge product fair, brand workshops, product and brand strategy sessions, and more.

It’s the first time we’ve all been together since our last supplier connect in China in 2019 and the first time the event has been hosted in Australia. Suppliers in attendance included apparel and non-apparel partners from China, Bangladesh, India and Vietnam.

We were proud to host our valued global supplier partners in our hometown of Geelong, where Cotton On was founded over 30 years ago.

“The creativity, energy and excitement that comes from having our key suppliers together with our team to celebrate outstanding performance as well as build our future together has been inspiring,” says Bianca Ginns, Cotton On Brand Director.

The week’s agenda kicked off with a conference attended by over 800 people at the Geelong Arts Centre. Supplier partners and Global Support Centre team heard from our leaders on the brand’s history, growth strategy, brand DNA, production, and The Good: from the Cotton On Foundation to sustainability goals and sourcing ethically.

Nurturing and supporting supplier partnerships is at the core of how we work. Penni Donaldson, General Manager Cotton On Production, says, “Consolidation of our supply base, together with diversification of our countries where we manufacture has been an important part of our global production strategy. Our suppliers are critical partners in delivering for our customer and helping drive our purpose of making a positive difference in people’s lives.”

The conference included Supplier of the Year Awards which recognised highest performing supplier partners across 11 categories: Cut & Sew, Woven, Denim & Knitwear, Intimates & Swim, Accessories, Footwear, Gifting, Stationary, Product Innovation Excellence, Sustainability Excellence and the Diamond Supplier of the Year. These suppliers delivered over and above in all areas of Supplier Scorecard System, which includes its 14 Rules of Trade, Supplier Strategy Improvement Program and Ethical Sourcing Audits. To learn more about these, click here.

For the remaining week, our Global Support Centre played host to workshops covering sustainability, agility, Artificial Intelligence, sourcing ethically, brand and customer strategy, and quality and compliance. A 59-stall supplier Product Fair was a highlight of the event, enabling our buying teams to collaborate directly with suppliers onsite to secure next season’s best sellers.

With a business strategy anchored in purpose, we’re looking forward to exceling our growth and continuing to support our global network of suppliers, while delivering incredible experiences to customers along the way.