Using Oritain’s technology, Supima licensees can test the origin of their Supima products at any stage in the supply chain. © Oritain

Oritain, a product and supply chain traceability specialist, has mapped all Supima cotton growing regions. All Supima cotton is only grown in the USA, and specifically in the west and southwestern states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.

“Products can cross multiple borders and pass through several sets of hands before reaching the stores, making it increasingly difficult for companies to trace the journey of their products. By mapping Supima’s growing regions and helping licenses to verify the origin of products, the cotton industry is making an important step towards rooting out fraud in the global supply chain.”

With over 500 licensees in more than 45 countries, Supima partners with over 200 brand/retailers around the globe that use Supima cotton, all of whom now have the capability to independently verify the authenticity of their product. By working with Oritain, licensees can assure consumers that their Supima cotton garments are authentic and have not been substituted or blended, the company explains.

Vulnerable supply chain

High-profile scandals have exposed how vulnerable the cotton supply chain is to fraud. Premium cotton can be blended or substituted with cheaper, inferior alternatives without the manufacturer’s knowledge. Supima has addressed this problem head-on by partnering with Oritain to protect the integrity of their high-quality, extra-long staple cotton.

Using Oritain’s forensic technology, Supima licensees can test and authenticate the origin of their Supima products at any stage in the supply chain, revealing if it has been blended or substituted and ensuring the product’s provenance. By testing the intrinsic natural properties of the cotton, Oritain identifies a unique distinguishing fingerprint for each product verifying where it was grown. Unlike other traceability methods, this fingerprint cannot be forged or altered and is unique to the land the cotton was grown on.

Partnerships

Global luxury group Kering has implemented Oritain’s services to verify that Supima cotton used in its garments is Supima cotton, woven and dyed by Albini. The partnership has produced the world’s first 100% traceable organic Supima cotton by testing the cotton at every stage of production, from field to the retail floor, the company reports.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for guarantees of where their clothes are produced and that they are ethically made. Oritain’s partnership with Supima will allow brands to confidently reassure customers that their Supima product is made with 100% Supima cotton,” said Rupert Hodges, Executive Director, Oritain.

www.oritain.com