Fashion for Good successfully traces organic cotton

The unique collaborative nature of the pilot project was key to its successful outcome. The partner companies provided their expertise to direct the pilot as well as financial support to fund project activities. C&A was instrumental to the project, leveraging their supply chain – Pratibha Syntex Limited, a vertically integrated manufacturing facility from farm to fashion in India supporting in-field trials, as well as their retail expertise – to fully explore production from fibre to garment available in stores across Europe.

The lead technical partner, Bext360, was backed by supporting technical partners Haelixa, Tailorlux, In-Code Technologies and Corebiome, whose DNA, invisible fluorescent and microbiome technologies respectively were applied in tracking the organic cotton. After enduring the harsh manufacturing processes of spinning, chemical treatments, high temperatures and dyeing, the DNA and invisible fluorescent tracers emerged intact to positively identify the cotton in consumer ready garments in retail outlets.

NFC tags provided by In-Code Technologies enabled additional verification by way of unique digital data points collected through production. Deploying machine vision and artificial intelligence to automatically catalogue and grade the quality of the cotton, the Bext360 blockchain platform can then track each transaction, through the entire value chain.

“The success of the Organic Cotton Traceability pilot provides a positive impulse towards traceability and transparency in the value chain. We’ve gathered sufficient insights and evidence to support the case, in terms of technical as well as operational viability, for the wider implementation of the process in the organic cotton industry. In addition, the process shows enormous potential for further expansion to include other fibres in the fashion supply chain,” said Katrin Ley, managing director of Fashion for Good.

Current traceability systems, though reliable, rely largely on paper-based trails of certification as well as various, separate systems to manage the chain of custody. The new process explored in the Organic Cotton Traceability pilot creates a digital and physical trail that increases reliability of traceability by combining the immutability of blockchain with on-product markers that verify the identity of the fibre. This method comes closest to full traceability of the origin, purity and distribution of the cotton within the current landscape. At the consumer level, the solution can be used to communicate which suppliers and manufacturers have worked together to create the final product.

In recent years, there has been increasing pressure for transparency along the fashion value chain from both consumers and governments. Simultaneously, greater awareness of the social and environmental impact of the fashion industry has catalysed intense interest and positive action towards more sustainable practices. Organic cotton promotes healthy soils, healthy ecosystems, healthy people and thriving farming communities and is consequently a key fibre in the sustainability strategies of fashion brands worldwide. It offers a lower ecological impact – reducing exposure to insecticides, pesticides and other chemicals, than conventional cotton production, which involves some of the highest use of pesticides and incurs a heavy water footprint. By having fully traceable organic cotton, the hope is to grow the use of cotton in the industry while increasing awareness of sustainable products.

From December 2019 onwards, the Fashion for Good Experience in Amsterdam – a consumer facing museum focused on sustainable fashion and innovation – will feature an organic cotton t-shirt from the very supply chain in this pilot project. Using a Tailorlux handheld spectrometer, consumers can verify the presence of the tracer for themselves in the interactive display. Besides the presentation in the museum, the Experience will host events around transparency and traceability to educate consumers about their importance. Insights from the pilot will be shared to raise awareness of the significance of organic cotton as well as the benefits of a transparent supply chain.

Fashion for Good is a global platform for innovation, made possible through collaboration and community. With an open invitation to the entire apparel industry, Fashion for Good convenes brands, producers, retailers, suppliers, non-profit organisations, innovators and funders united in their shared ambition.

Fashion for Good’s programmes are supported by founding partner C&A Foundation and corporate partners adidas, C&A, Channel, Bestseller, Galeries Lafayette Group, Kering, Otto Group, PVH Corp., Stella McCartney, Target and Zalando and affiliate partners Arvind and Norrøna.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (PC)