The Textile Tracer Assessment
References
- https://www.gsmarena.com/glossary.php3?term=nfc
- https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Polymerase-Chain-Reaction
- https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/QR-code-quick-response-code#:~:text=A%20 QR%20code%20(quick%20response,on%20a%20smartphone%20or%20tablet
- https://supplychainbeyond.com/chain-of-custody-in-the-supply-chain/
- https://www.oracle.com/uk/erp/what-is-erp/#:~:text=Enterprise%20resource%20planning%20 (ERP)%20refers,compliance%2C%20and%20supply%20chain%20operations
- https://textiletutorials.com/important-difference-between-mixing-and-blending-in- spinning/#:~:text=When%20same%20kind%20but%20different,mixture%20is%20known%20s%20 blending
- https://www.ru.nl/systemschemistry/equipment/optical-spectroscopy/ infrared/#:~:text=Infrared%20spectroscopy%20(IR%20spectroscopy)%20is,mostly%20based%20 on%20absorption%20spectroscopy.
- https://oritain.com/how-it-works/the-science/?gclid=CjwKCAjwkZEiwAUHQCmaj1Bdg9g6k8I yTz2Agwd0XJPfXCxLuAbMFSEpHVjVfHApSDsOWE0BoC1C4QAvD_BwE
- https://textileexchange.org/tetrackit/
- https://www.oracle.com/scm/product-lifecycle-management/what-is-plm/
- https://ecochain.com/knowledge/life-cycle-assessment-lca-guide/
- https://textileexchange.org/tetrackit/
- https://textileexchange.org/tetrackit/
- Such as corporate due diligence legislation and regulations such as The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the proposed European Union Ecodesign For Sustainable Products.
- https://textileexchange.org/tetrackit/ These traceability programmes are work in progress
- Not only fashion-focused: Sll forensic tracer companies interviewed also worked in other industries beyond fashion and textiles (agri-food, minerals etc).
- Mostly fashion-focused: the majority of the additive tracer companies interviewed worked only in the fashion and textiles sector at the time of research.
- It should be well noted that ADNAS also have the capability to provide isotopic and DNA analysis of fibres and materials, alongside their artificial DNA additive tracer.
- See Trustrace’s traceability playbook for further insight into digital traceability approaches, solutions, and innovations: https://trustrace.com/traceability-playbook?utm_source=ppc&utm_ medium=linkedinads&utm_campaign=sponsoredpost
- That said, this is a very underdeveloped capability for forensic tracers whose main focus remains for proving geographic origin of plant and animal fibres.
- It should be well noted that forensic tracer companies can have the capability to carry out more than one type of micro-particle analysis e.g. Oritain, SourceCertain International can perform analysis on both ratios of stable isotopes and analysis of trace meddles (see glossary).
- This form of offsite micro-particle analysis should not be confused with a similar process for forensic tracers. This refers to detection analysis of synthetic/artificial DNA additive tracers, added to fibres, materials, and/or garments and detected later in the supply chain. Not analysis of natural bio-chemical properties of the fibres, materials, and/or garments (Isotope ratios, elemental meddles, natural DNA) that is taken out by forensic tracers.
- To understand the specific capabilities of detecting the mixing and blending of fibres (and/or fibre quantification), the user should explore further directly with the additive tracer technology of interest. Fibre quantification is a much desired use case for physical verification of sustainable fibre types within a mix/blend, but still in the research and development stage for many additive tracer technologies.
- E.g. Supima cotton: https://www.innovationintextiles.com/oritain-maps-supima-cotton-origin/, and CertainT® cotton https://sourcingjournal.com/topics/compliance/applied-dna-services-cotton- traceability-xinjiang-uyghur-forced-labor-isotech-348286/
- It is important to note that provenance databases (records of the biochemical properties of natural fibres needed for verification cross-checking) need to be constantly updated by the forensic tracer company to account for changing isotopic ratios and elemental meddles at the origin for the natural fibres in scope of verification.
- This tracer efficacy depends on where the additive tracer is applied, and where the user wishes to detect it. As a reminder, Fashion for Good did not test the efficacy of tracers sustaining through manufacturing processes (or any similar tests).
- Independent party verification is still needed for cross referencing additive tracer substances and their unique composition signatories, to ensure “lock and key” detection mechanisms are verified externally. Critically speaking, relying on the tracer company itself to verify “lock and key” detection mechanism and tracer substance composition signatures can be questioned if not validated by an independent party.
- Haelixa’s tracer technology took part in Fashion for Good’s Organic Cotton Traceability Pilot.
- Tailorlux’s tracer technology took part in Fashion for Good’s Organic Cotton Traceability Pilot.
- IN-Code’s tracer technology took part in Fashion for Good’s Organic Cotton Traceability Pilot.
