Cotton On Connect 2025
3rd September, 2025
This August, we once again welcomed our global supplier community to our hometown in Geelong, Australia for Cotton On Connect – a four-day event full of connection, inspiration and celebration.
Following the success of last year’s event, we were so lucky to have 48 of our global suppliers join us, with 150 guests from China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Pakistan and Indonesia.
The week featured a packed schedule, including the Supplier Conference, where suppliers and our Global Support Centre team heard directly from leaders on strategies that will drive the business in FY26 – with a focus on brand, customer and product that will further position us as a global leader in youthful effortless fashion.
Supplier Conference also featured a much-loved segment: the Supplier of the Year Awards, which recognised the highest performing supplier partners across 12 categories:
- Cut & Sew
- Woven
- Denim & Knitwear
- Intimates & Swim
- Accessories & Footwear
- Gifting
- Stationery & Hardgoods
- Product
- Quality
- Sustainability
- Ethical Sourcing
- Diamond Supplier of the Year.
The winning suppliers delivered over and above in all areas of our Supplier Scorecard System, which includes our 14 Rules of Trade, Supplier Strategy Improvement Program, Ethical Sourcing Audits and Sustainability.
We also recognised five high-performing and customer-obsessed team members for their unwavering commitment to being Ever Better. We can’t wait to reward these team members with a Production Trip where they’ll visit one of our supplier regions in Asia for a unique and unforgettable experience that will deepen their understanding of our brands, products and the people behind them.
Other highlights of the week included the Product Fair, where our buying teams collaborated directly with suppliers to secure next season’s bestsellers, hands-on workshops covering ethical sourcing, sustainability and product innovation, brand strategy sessions and team/supplier dinners.
Penni Donaldson, General Manager of Cotton On Production, said strengthening supplier partnerships continues to be a core driver of our global growth strategy.
“Our suppliers are critical to our success. We know how important it is for our supplier partnerships to extend beyond the transactional, working together to build strategic plans for long-term performance goals and growth for both our and our partner’s businesses.
“Collaboration and the way we’re able to build resilience as one team during Cotton On Connect contributes directly to our growth and momentum as a business. We’re really proud of this unique event that enables us to celebrate shared success with our supplier partners and to look ahead at how we can win together,” says Donaldson.
To our team who helped make this event happen and made our suppliers feel so welcome, thank you. To our suppliers who help create product our customers love, which helps drive Cotton On Foundation’s global impact, thank you for partnering with us to fulfil our purpose; to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Until next year!