Download the 2025 Report
2026 Carter’s, Inc. All rights reserved.
product
our sustainable materials journey
We aim to reduce the environmental impact of our core fabric portfolio, while maintaining the exceptional quality and safety standards that families expect from Carter’s. Cotton remains our primary fabric, accounting for almost 70% of our fiber usage, so we are focusing our sustainable materials efforts on where we believe we can make the most impact. As such, we’ve made a commitment to use 100% sustainably sourced cotton fibers by 2030.
GOAL
Use 100% sustainable cotton fibers by 2030
2025 PROGRESS
86% of our cotton was sustainably sourced in 2025
86%
We define sustainable fibers as those that have a lower negative environmental impact over their life cycles than conventional counterparts. We define sustainably sourced cotton as BCI Cotton or organically grown cotton.
materials certifications
We demonstrate our ongoing commitment to sourcing sustainable materials through a comprehensive fiber portfolio strategy. We actively prioritize and continue to increase our use of independently verified sustainable fibers, including:
GOTS-certified products
We prioritize GOTS-certified products for our Little Planet brand, which encompasses:
- Organic farming practices
- Ethical labor conditions
- Environmentally responsible processing
- Recycled content claims
- Responsible social practices (GRS only)
- Environmental standards (GRS only)
- Chemical safety protocols (GRS only)
- BCI: Supporting more sustainable cotton farming practices and improved farmer livelihoods
- LENZING ECOVERO Viscose: Using fibers produced with significantly lower environmental impact through responsible wood sourcing and closed-loop processing
2025 fiber usage
FY 2025
fibers
68% COTTON
29% POLYESTER
2% VISCOSE
0.8% ELASTANE
0.3% OTHER
Cotton
14% Conventional cotton
86% SUSTAINABLE COTTON
- 84% BCI Cotton
- 2% ORGANICALLY GROWN COTTON
better cotton initiative
Sourcing cotton through the BCI represents the foundation of Carter’s sustainable materials strategy. Through its implementing partners, BCI supports farmers to use water efficiently, care for soil health and natural habitats, reduce use of the most harmful chemicals, and respect workers’ rights and well-being. BCI continues to be our primary pathway to achievement of our cotton commitment.
We are committed to sourcing 100% of our cotton more sustainably by 2030, primarily through BCI Cotton under the mass balance chain of custody, while continuing to incorporate GOTS-certified organic cotton for select product offerings, including Little Planet. Mass balance BCI Cotton is not physically traceable to end products, however, BCI farmers benefit from the demand for BCI Cotton in equivalent volumes to those we “source.”
BCI Cotton goal
2022
2023
2024
2030
10%
25%
50%
100%
Pinch to zoom in
We made significant progress in 2025 and sourced approximately 84% of our cotton through BCI Cotton.
84%
BCI licensed farmer: Punamchand Jalela
“I became a BCI licensed farmer in 2016. For the last three years, I have only used natural bio-pesticides. I decided to transition from chemical pesticides to natural pesticides to improve my soil health. In my community, around 15 other farmers transitioned to natural farming methods after seeing my results. Since only using natural pesticides, my income has increased. My yields are better and I spend less money on inputs. I have used the additional income to purchase more land and on my children’s education [books etc]. On my farm, I grow cotton, peanuts, mango and sandalwood.”
— Punamchand Jalela, BCI licensed farmer
Location: Bhavnagar district Gujarat, India. 2019
*The stories and outcomes featured here reflect the experiences of individual BCI licensed farmers in specific regions. Results may vary by country due to differences in local conditions and other contextual factors. These stories do not represent the outcomes of all BCI licensed farms.
sustainable apparel & goods
Carter’s commitment to sustainable apparel and goods continues to be led by our Little Planet and Skip Hop brands, along with targeted collections under our Carter’s brand, like PurelySoft. Our approach combines innovative design, materials that have a reduced environmental impact, and strategic distribution to create lasting value for our customers and our business.
Our sustainable product offerings continue to evolve. Rising demand for sustainable products connects us with new audiences. This consumer-driven focus on sustainability also supports our global expansion, as markets worldwide embrace responsible fashion choices. Throughout this evolution, we maintain our commitment to product innovation, quality, and safety—principles that have defined Carter’s for nearly 160 years, while adapting to the changing needs of families today.
GOAL: Become the U.S. market leader of sustainable children’s apparel
2025 PROGRESS
Little Planet and Purely Soft account for 5% of our overall sales.
More than 60% of our 2025 sales are either supported by responsible cotton sourcing through BCI Cotton, or come from our Little Planet and PurelySoft collections, utilizing either organically grown cotton or viscose sourced from responsibly managed forests
GOAL: Continue growth of Little Planet brand
2025 PROGRESS
Over $100M in sales in 2025, and it remains Carter’s fastest-growing brand, with 34% more consumers shopping the brand year over year
Little Planet by Carter’s
Little Planet is our most prominent showcase of sustainable materials and practices, which helps to inform our broader organizational approach to providing sustainably made, high-quality products. After initially launching the brand in 2017, we relaunched it in 2021 as a primarily organically grown cotton apparel brand. The assortment of products includes beautiful, heirloom-quality baby and toddler products and apparel ranging from sleepwear, swimwear, outerwear, bedding, accessories, and toys. The brand’s unique positioning combines GOTS-certified products and recycled fabrics with gender-neutral, timeless designs that resonate across varied consumer segments.
Little Planet achieved significant growth in 2025 through:
distribution expansion
- Little Planet displays featured in over 700 U.S. retail stores, and ~1,500 wholesale partner locations
- Full presence across our entire Canadian retail portfolio (190 locations)
- Expanded presence in Mexico, including our first Little Planet standalone store
GOTS audit framework
GOTS is a leading global textile processing standard for organic cotton fibers.
farm
- Organic cotton grown without the use of hazardous pesticides
- Less energy and water
- Reductions to greenhouse gas emissions by removing carbon dioxide and creating oxygen
factory
- No forced labor or no child labor
- Better working conditions for workers
distribution center
- Protect product from contamination
- Train workers on GOTS standards
- Track Distribution center environmental data and procedures
Annual inspections occur at all stages of the supply chain.
PurelySoft
Building on the success and learnings from Little Planet, PurelySoft represents our strategic expansion of using more innovative, certified, and sustainable materials. Since its launch in 2023, this collection has combined comfort with environmental responsibility through its use of wood-based fibers sourced from sustainably managed forests. The collection exemplifies our commitment to making more sustainable options accessible at scale while maintaining the quality and performance our customers expect.
PurelySoft continued to build strong momentum as a direct-to-consumer offering, delivering significant growth and high customer satisfaction. The collection consistently demonstrates sustained demand and strong brand resonance with consumers seeking both comfort and sustainability.
In 2025, PurelySoft:
- Grew 90% in sales
- Attained 90% five-star ratings across 1,000+ reviews
Skip Hop
Skip Hop continues to lead through innovation in children’s products with its Must-Haves Made Better® brand promise. The brand’s commitment to sustainability is demonstrated, in part, through its designated “grow with me” products which extend a product’s lifecycle and reduce the need for parents to buy multiple items—reducing environmental impact and providing enhanced value to parents through products that grow with their children.
In 2025, we launched seven products that are each intended to be used through various stages of childhood because of their grow-with-me features that promote longevity and versatility.
2025 award-winning
“grow-with-me” products
Discoverosity 3-in-1
Sensory Table
Early sensory exploration begins with floor play then converts to sensory table and play table as toddler grows
Wave 4-in-1 Baby Bath Tub
Designed to make bath time easier for parents, it grows with baby in four stages—from infant to toddler
10
Calculation is based on the assumption of a 25% GHG reduction for Tritan Renew materials compared to conventional counterparts.
reducing our footprint
In 2025, Skip Hop continued transitioning conventional plastic straw bottles to be made with Tritan™ Renew from Eastman, which uses 50% certified recycled content.
This initiative has:
Diverted nearly 15,189 pounds of waste, equal to over 668,889 single-use plastic bottles, from landfills
Reduced carbon emissions by over 12,759 pounds of CO2e10