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Is COS sustainable?

COS is an eco skilled brand because the company is already doing a great job as far as the environmental impact of the clothes, the fabrics used, as well as its design and production processes are concerned. As part of the H&M Group, COS set itself apart as one of the most transparent brands, focused on creating a more sustainable fashion environment and educating consumers about the importance of conscious consumption. In other words, COS is on the right track in terms of environmental and social sustainability.  

Also, COS likes designing products that last beyond seasons and takes its time to invest in high-quality materials able to deliver that result. From organic cotton to recycled cashmere, this brand is making real efforts to use 100% more sustainable materials by 2025. 

At the same time, each COS item is made with the future in mind. This means that the brand ensures that products can be used multiple times, are "made to be made again" and are created using recyclable or renewable fabrics. 

Environmental footprint of COS

COS aims to become climate neutral by 2030 and climate positive by 2040. Giving old products a new life and "being more resourceful with existing resources" is one of COS' key sustainability policies. There is no point in throwing fabric leftovers away if those can be broken down and used to make new products. One of COS' repurposing stories revolved solely around cotton, and to celebrate the innovation, the company launched an exclusive capsule collection of sweatshirts made with excess cotton fibers. Since then, COS explored new territories and made good use of repurposed wool and repurposed cashmere. Similarly, all the cotton used for COS products is either recycled, organic, or responsibly sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative. 

As for the other materials, COS utilizes a wide range of more eco-friendly fabrics, such as Tencel lyocell, plant-based Cupro, and Bananatex®, which is a durable fabric made from naturally-grown Abacá banana plants, free from pesticides and fertilizers. Recycled glass and silver are also used for COS' jewelry. 

Making fashion more sustainable is also about sharing and, after all, sharing is caring, whether that’s for yourself or the planet. COS is all about enabling customers to extend the life of their clothes, which is why the brand introduced Resell - an online marketplace where people can buy or sell pre-loved COS items, such as menswear, womenswear or clothes and accessories for kids.

As far as COS’ physical stores are concerned, many of these are housed in buildings that had a story to tell long before cos entered their doors. Mixing the new with the old is how this brand achieves authenticity, and while the Los Angeles store used to be a theater back in the 1920s, the Paris one was once a hammam bathhouse. To ensure that its physical stores are as eco-conscious as possible, COS also stopped using concrete in its interiors and fiberglass in mannequins. All the alternatives it’s now sourcing are entirely recyclable and made from recycled materials, including recycled polystyrene from a waste stream.

New low-energy LED lighting has also been introduced in most COS stores, with a target to have 100% of all stores fitted with it by the end of 2024. According to the COS website, moving towards more energy-efficient lighting will enable the brand to considerably reduce its CO2 emissions.

COS has also redesigned its iconic shopping bag to be fully recyclable, meaning that it’s now made from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified paper, including the handles, which makes it easy for customers to recycle it by simply placing it in the paper recycle bin. The bags also feature less than 10% print coverage that uses water-based ink.

Animal welfare at COS

As a subsidiary of the H&M Group, none of COS' products are made of fur and exotic skin or any other materials deriving from endangered species. All of the H&M Group-owned companies have forbidden the use of angora wool since 2013, and in 2020 the brand started using mohair from farms certified by the Responsible Mohair Standard. The company also aims to reach full traceability and source materials solely from farms with impeccable animal care for all of its animal-derived materials by 2025.

Ethical working conditions at COS

Ever since its inception, COS was all about making sustainable fashion available to the wider public. And to make such plans come to fruition, COS understood the importance of taking responsibility for the places, communities and suppliers it works with. Since 2007, COS has been collaborating with the same partners, from Turkey-based denim specialists to cotton growers in India and manufacturers in Romania and Portugal.

Currently,  40% of COS' suppliers are based in Europe, while 60% are based in Asia. Before the brand commits to working with any new supplier, it must agree and sign a thorough Sustainability Commitment and comply with COS' code of ethics. This means that all of the factory workers must not be operating in unsafe buildings or exposed to hazardous machines and substances. They must be provided with clean drinking water and toilet facilities and should be offered accommodation separated from the workplace.

According to COS' Sustainability Commitment, workers are paid a national living wage on a regular basis and in full. Deductions from earnings as a punitive measure are strictly forbidden. Also, employees are not required to work more than 48 hours a week and are provided with at least one day off for every 7-day period. 

Other eco-friendly practices at COS

COS is a true advocate of making fashion more circular. And for this reason, the brand teamed up with thredUP - an online consignment and thrift store, in an initiative aimed at slowing down garment waste and reducing fashion's impact on the environment. Through this thredUP x COS program, shoppers can extend the life of their COS clothing by giving it a second chance. 

All customers need to do is decide on a COS piece they no longer want, print a free shipping label and attach it to a box which will be sent to thredUP via USPS or FedEx Office. Customers can earn in-store shopping credit for their eligible items. The rest of the items will either be reused, responsibly recycled or returned to the sender.

As far as other sustainability initiatives are concerned, since 2010, all the brands owned by the H&M Groups stopped placing orders and selling sandblasted products. The ban included the use of aluminum oxide, aluminum silicate, copper slag, and silicon carbide. Since sandblasting practices may still take place in factories that manufacture products for other brands, the H&M Group only approves factories for production that have dismantled all the sandblasting equipment.