Oritain has, alongside Albini Group and Supima, announced a strategic partnership seeking to offer the first 100 per cent scientifically traceable Supima organic cotton to the mainstream fashion market. The co-operative effort, brought together by Kering, hopes to combat fragmented supply chains and build real consumer understanding of traceability. Using only organically grown Supima cotton that is subsequently woven and dyed by Albini, the collaboration is looking to offer end consumers the ability to buy with confidence that products can be completely traceable back to the origin of the fibre.
Oritain utilises forensic science to analyse the naturally-occurring chemical properties of cotton fibres, creating a unique chemical fingerprint which is immune from alteration, linking the product back to the field in which it was grown. Cotton products can be tested at every stage of the supply chain to verify that the fabric is consistent with the original fingerprint, with only an exact match confirming authenticity.
Earlier this year, Oritain Global announced a deal with Supima, the cotton association which represents more than 500 American Pima cotton growers, to offer its members the use of Oritain’s proprietary cotton verification technology. Upon the launch of this collaborative venture, Cecilia Takayama, Director of Kering’s Materials Innovation Lab said, “Traceability in fashion’s fragmented and global supply chains is imperative to create real change. “At Kering we are focused on sustainable raw material sourcing and this innovative technology for our organic cotton supply chain will enable our Materials Innovation Lab greater visibility to verify farming best practices and fibre quality; ensure integrity within the supply chain; and guarantee alignment with our Kering Standards.”
Rupert Hodges, Executive Director of Oritain in the UK stated, “Traceability has been a buzz word in fashion for some time, but there are still challenges in the industry. Now through this partnership we can support Kering, Supima and Albini Group to further enable sustainable, responsible practices in their cotton supply chains. “The commitment by these industry leaders to working with Oritain demonstrates the value scientific traceability provides to companies with complex global supply chains. We are very excited to expand on this initial project with our partners and help establish a new industry standard for traceability within the apparel sector.”
