Thread Report — Comparison
Acne Studios vs COS: Fabric Composition Compared.
We pulled fabric composition data from 419 Acne Studios products and 837 COS products. The two brands are nearly tied on natural fibre content (78.4% vs 77.6%) — the meaningful differences are buried in the fibre mix, not the headline number.
TL;DR
Acne Studios wins on both natural fibre content (78.4% vs 77.6%) and on having fewer polyester-heavy products (9.1% vs 9.3%). The headline gap is 0.8 percentage points of natural fibre per garment.
By the Numbers
| Metric | Acne Studios | COS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products in sample | 419 | 837 | COS (larger sample) |
| Avg natural fibre % | 78.4% | 77.6% | Tie |
| % items ≥95% natural | 58.9% | 54.5% | Tie |
| % items polyester-majority | 9.1% | 9.3% | Tie |
Average natural fibre % per garment
% of catalogue that's polyester-majority
% of catalogue that's nearly all-natural (≥95%)
Top Fibres, Side by Side
How often each fibre appears across each brand's catalogue. A higher number means more products in the sample list that fibre on the label.
| Fibre | Acne Studios (% of products) | COS (% of products) | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | 0% | 0% | +0 |
| Polyester | 0% | 0% | +0 |
| Wool | 0% | 0% | +0 |
| Elastane | 0% | 0% | +0 |
| Viscose | 0% | 0% | +0 |
| Polyamide | 0% | 0% | +0 |
By Category
Average natural fibre % per garment, by category. Counts in parentheses show the number of products from each brand in the sample.
| Category | Acne Studios (count) | COS (count) | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skirt | 55.3% (19) | 64.2% (41) | -8.9 |
| Jacket | 75.3% (44) | 66.6% (69) | +8.7 |
| T-Shirt | 87.3% (44) | 95.8% (56) | -8.5 |
| Coat | 82.3% (12) | 76.1% (68) | +6.2 |
| Pants | 91.2% (40) | 86.1% (73) | +5.1 |
| Sweater | 93.8% (11) | 98.5% (21) | -4.7 |
| Shorts | 81.7% (19) | 86.2% (36) | -4.5 |
| Dress | 63.9% (29) | 67.5% (214) | -3.6 |
| Jeans | 95% (75) | 98.1% (115) | -3.1 |
| Shirt | 89.1% (33) | 86.6% (78) | +2.5 |
Where they're similar
Both brands lean on the same core fibres. cotton, polyester, wool appear in the top five for both Acne Studios and COS. Average natural fibre content is nearly identical — 78.4% for Acne Studios, 77.6% for COS. Polyester reliance is comparable: 9.1% of Acne Studios products are polyester-majority vs 9.3% at COS. Each catalogue has a similar share of nearly-all-natural pieces — 58.9% at Acne Studios and 54.5% at COS.
Where they differ
On the headline metrics, Acne Studios and COS sit within rounding error of each other. The differences live in specific fibres and individual categories rather than catalogue averages.
Verdict
If you care purely about average fibre composition, this comparison is a coin flip. Both Acne Studios and COS land in the same range on every headline metric. Where you'll actually see a difference is in specific categories and specific fibres — read the by-category table above before committing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acne Studios or COS better quality fabric?
Based on average natural fibre content, Acne Studios edges ahead — 78.4% vs 77.6% per garment across the 1,256 products we analysed. Higher natural fibre content generally correlates with better breathability, fewer microplastics, and longer wear.
Does COS use more polyester than Acne Studios?
Yes. 9.3% of COS products are polyester-heavy (50%+ polyester), compared to 9.1% at Acne Studios.
How many products did you analyse for Acne Studios vs COS?
419 Acne Studios products and 837 COS products — every item with a parseable fabric composition label from each brand's site.
Which has more 100% natural pieces — Acne Studios or COS?
Acne Studios. 58.9% of Acne Studios products are nearly all-natural (95%+ natural fibre by composition) versus 54.5% at COS.
What's the most common fibre at Acne Studios and COS?
Cotton is the most common fibre at Acne Studios (in 60.1% of products), while Cotton leads at COS (46.8% of products).
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