Zürich-headquartered Haelixa has announced a three-year partnership with C&A to advance the traceability of its organic cotton.

Using Haelixa’s DNA markers, C&A can trace the journey of its organic cotton from farm to finished garment.

 “Transparency and ethical sourcing are crucial in our supply chain,” said C&A’s head of sourcing Alexandre Saus-Salas. “As part of our commitment to traceability, we have begun implementing Haelixa DNA within our organic supply chain. This gradual roll-out will continue over multiple seasons in 2025, with an impact foreseen over the next three years.”

Haelixa’s solution uses DNA markers to create a tamper-proof, verifiable traceability that tracks organic cotton throughout the supply chain. The cotton, sourced through CottonConnect, is marked with unique DNA, which acts as a specific identifier. Once applied, the cotton is tested throughout the supply chain to verify the material using forensic PCR tests. Traceability with the fibre-forward approach ensures the final garment materials are authentic.

The marking ensures the authenticity of organic cotton and mitigates the risk of sourcing from regions associated with forced labour. Using the Haelixa markers enables C&A to make reliable statements about the presence of organic cotton in its products, marked at the field level in the ginning process.

“Trust is the foundation of transparent storytelling,” said Haelixa CEO Patrick Strumpf. “By tracing organic cotton from farm to finished garment, we empower brands like C&A to tell an authentic story, fostering greater consumer confidence in their sustainability efforts.”

www.haelixa.co