AS Colour vs Cotton On:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Cotton On had more branded searches than AS Colour among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand. Cotton On had about 193,000 branded searches, while AS Colour had 33,100. Cotton On made up 55.7% of all cargo shorts brand searches we track, and AS Colour accounted for 9.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about cargo shorts brands, Cotton On appeared in three of the five answers and AS Colour in two. Cotton On was mentioned before AS Colour in three out of four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Cotton On, about 6 searches for every 1 for AS Colour
Who does AI mention more?
Cotton On, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, AS Colour in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Cotton On, named ahead of AS Colour in 3 of 4 answers
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Top cargo shorts brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Cotton On was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. AS Colour was mentioned in two out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in both Google AI Overviews. Cotton On was listed before AS Colour in three out of four answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Mountain Warehouse4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Cotton On3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Hard Yakka3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Kathmandu2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
AS Colour2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Stoney Creek2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Helly Hansen2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Lee0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Wrangler0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Dickies0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about cargo shorts brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which cargo shorts brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best cargo shorts brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best cargo shorts brand in New Zealand for hot weather wear?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cargo shorts nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“mens cargo shorts”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.
Is AS Colour or Cotton On more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for AS Colour and Cotton On by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten cargo shorts brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Cotton On, AS Colour. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Cotton On | Kathmandu | Mountain Warehouse | AS Colour | Stoney Creek | Hard Yakka | Helly Hansen | Lee | Wrangler | Dickies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 54.6% | 16.4% | 14.1% | 11.5% | 2.3% | 0.61% | 0.37% | 0.11% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 56.1% | 16.8% | 12% | 12% | 2.4% | 0.4% | 0.32% | 0.08% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 55.2% | 17.7% | 14.6% | 9.8% | 2% | 0.31% | 0.47% | 0.05% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 51.6% | 19.9% | 16.2% | 8.9% | 2.2% | 0.56% | 0.51% | 0.09% | <0.01% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 55.3% | 17.2% | 14.4% | 9.6% | 2.4% | 0.6% | 0.38% | 0.11% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 55.1% | 16.9% | 14.5% | 9.7% | 2.9% | 0.52% | 0.31% | 0.09% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 52.7% | 19.6% | 13.9% | 9.3% | 3.4% | 0.54% | 0.37% | 0.09% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 54.3% | 17.1% | 14.3% | 9.6% | 3.5% | 0.61% | 0.38% | 0.11% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.1% | 21.7% | 15.2% | 10.2% | 4.5% | 0.72% | 0.4% | 0.12% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.9% | 21% | 21.6% | 7.9% | 3.5% | 0.62% | 0.38% | 0.11% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 48.9% | 17.7% | 18.8% | 10.3% | 3.1% | 0.58% | 0.48% | 0.12% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | 55.7% | 16.6% | 14.3% | 9.5% | 2.9% | 0.6% | 0.37% | 0.09% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
How has the AS Colour and Cotton On comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Cotton On was ahead of AS Colour in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, AS Colour’s share of searches among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand moved from 11.5% to 9.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 33.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Cotton On’s share of searches among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand moved from 54.6% to 55.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 192K to 193K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand cargo shorts brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Cotton On gained share of searches among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand, from 48.9% to 55.7%.
In September 2026, AS Colour lost share of searches among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand, from 10.3% to 9.5%.
How are branded searches counted?
12 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using AS Colour’s and Cotton On’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among cargo shorts brands
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