Cotton On vs Stoney Creek:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Cotton On had more branded searches than Stoney Creek among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand. Cotton On had about 193,000 branded searches, while Stoney Creek had 9,900. Cotton On made up 55.7% of all cargo shorts brand searches we track, and Stoney Creek accounted for 2.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about cargo shorts brands, Cotton On appeared in three of the five answers and Stoney Creek in two. Cotton On and Stoney Creek were each mentioned first in two of the four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Cotton On, about 20 searches for every 1 for Stoney Creek
Who does AI mention more?
Cotton On, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Stoney Creek in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 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. Stoney Creek was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Cotton On and Stoney Creek were each listed first in two of the 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 Cotton On or Stoney Creek more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cotton On and Stoney Creek 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, Stoney Creek. 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 Cotton On and Stoney Creek comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Cotton On was ahead of Stoney Creek in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- 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.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stoney Creek’s share of searches among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand moved from 2.3% to 2.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 9.9K.
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%.

Stoney Creek’s share of searches among cargo shorts brands in New Zealand has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 4.5% to 2.9% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
12 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cotton On’s and Stoney Creek’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.
Cotton On
10 branded search terms
- cotton on
- cotton on activewear
- cotton on body
- cotton on jeans
- cotton on mega
- cotton on outlets
- cotton on shoes
- cotton on shorts
- cotton on tops
- cottonon
Stoney Creek
2 branded search terms
- stoney creek
- stoneycreek
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