The partners are offering a solution for the comprehensive traceability of products which will soon be required to comply with the European Green Deal.

An essential part of the solution is the DNA marker technology developed by Haelixa that enables complete traceability of materials. These markers survive all production process steps, validating the end product.

“This technology employs distinct DNA tailored for each project, establishing a unique identity for the material,” explains Holly Berger, marketing director at Haelixa. “Once the DNA is integrated into the material, it becomes irremovable – impervious to falsification or alteration.”

Handling is straightforward – the DNA marker is fed into the spinning process with the preparation oil, for example, and the preparation system is modified accordingly. Further feeding options are currently being developed.

atmos.io

The concept is complemented by atmos.io, Oerlikon’s digital platform, which records and evaluates extensive production and process data during the fibre and filament manufacturing processes. Atmos.io gives the fibres and filaments their digital identity during processing on Oerlikon systems – from the melt to the package. This technology has been used successfully for some time to monitor the production process. With atmos.io, deviations in process parameters and data on fibres and filaments can be identified and rectified within a very short time, which in turn keeps the product quality stable and reduces waste rates.

Combining both technologies enables clear traceability of the fibres and filaments produced, even in the downstream process steps. As a result, the components, qualities, manufacturing conditions and origin can be traced beyond doubt in the finished garment.

“The unique DNA carries the ‘roots’ of the fibres and filaments digitally recorded in atmos.io into the everyday life of the end consumer,” says Jochen Adler, CTO at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers. “The textile end products meet the requirements of the digital product passport which will be required by the EU, and contains the information needed to assess their life cycle assessment and circularity. Initial long-term tests have shown 100% traceability of the fibres and filaments in the POY and FDY spinning process. If the manufacturer relies on the atmos.io platform, production systems can be adapted relatively easily to use the DNA markers.”

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