Forensic traceability of U.S. cotton

COTTON USA and Oritain have signed a partnership to provide forensic verification of origin for all U.S. cotton, a recent news release stated. The collaboration aims to help brands and retailers make responsible sourcing and purchasing decisions.

According to the release, to achieve the level of traceability the industry is demanding, Oritain’s technology applies forensic science to detect trace elements in the cotton. Soil composition and other environmental factors give cotton an “Origin Fingerprint” specific to each location. Cotton can be tested at any stage on its journey from farm to shop floor, to discern if the product has been substituted or blended along the way.

This new partnership follows a pilot program and blind test for Oritain that used samples collected across Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, and subsequently identified them with 100 percent accuracy, according to the release.  

Cotton Council International is a nonprofit trade association that promotes U.S. cotton fiber and manufactured cotton products around the globe via the COTTON USA mark. 

With its team of experts in forensic science and data analysis, Oritain creates Origin Fingerprints to match products back to their claimed origin from any point in the supply chain.

Sources: COTTON USA and Oritain