COTTON USA™ and Oritain™ have signed a
partnership to provide industry leading, forensic verification of origin for
all U.S. cotton.
As introduced, this
collaboration will give brands and retailers the assurance they need to make
responsible sourcing and purchasing decisions.
While this level of traceability is new,
the U.S. cotton industry has strived to produce and deliver high quality cotton
that is the most sustainable cotton in the world.
This ambition is already being realized
through improved fiber properties, increased productivity and a shrinking
environmental footprint. All cotton-producing regions in the U.S. are aiming to
further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, soil loss, water, energy and land
usage.
To achieve the level of traceability that
the industry is demanding, Oritain's unique method applies forensic science to
detect trace elements in the cotton itself. Soil composition and other
environmental factors give the cotton an inherent 'fingerprint' specific to
each location – what Oritain calls the Origin Fingerprint.
As said, this is the only
way to be absolutely sure of where particular cotton was grown. Cotton can be tested
at any stage on its journey from farm to shop floor, giving buyers complete
assurance that the product has not been substituted along the way.
Guaranteeing origin will address
traceability challenges faced by the global cotton industry, including
minimizing the risk of supply chain partners blending the product with lower
quality fibers.
"This partnership with Oritain will
provide COTTON USA with a unique selling point in both domestic and export
markets," said Bruce Atherley, Executive Director, Cotton Council
International. "Now U.S. cotton will offer the highest level of end-to-end
traceability in the industry, combined with a raw material that is leading the
way in terms of sustainable practices – two things that global clothing brands
now demand from their suppliers."
"Global supply chains are incredibly
complex and the potential for blending and other illegal activity in the
production of cotton textile products is large. However, given that Oritain's
Origin Fingerprint cannot be altered or faked, COTTON USA and their customers
can be safe in the knowledge that their product is exactly what it says it
is," said Rupert Hodges, Executive Director, Oritain.
This new partnership follows a successful
pilot program and rigorous blind test for Oritain, during which samples were
collected across Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, and
subsequently identified with 100% accuracy.