DNA markers can verify recycled cotton

In future, Soorty will make use of the tracing technology developed by Haelixa, with both companies having now announced the start of a strategic partnership. The aim here will be to verify the use of recycled cotton that makes up the garments developed by the largest manufacturer of denim products in Pakistan. According to a press release, to achieve this Soorty will turn to the DNA-based markers developed by Haelixa, a company founded in 2016 and based in Kemptthal in the canton of Zurich. The textiles processing firm sees this partnership as an effective way of safeguarding supply chain transparency.

The DNA tracers developed by Haelixa are dissolved in a liquid solution and then applied to the textile waste before the mechanical cotton recovery processes are carried out at the spinning mill in Pakistan. The intermediate products are tested at random, while spot checks are likewise carried out for the finished garments. According to information in the press release, this test is based on highly scalable PCR technology that is 100 percent reliable and forensically valid.

“With recycling becoming a major trend, there is also an alarming number of unsubstantiated claims related to the use of recycled fiber in garments”, comments Michela Puddu, co-founder and CEO of Haelixa, in the press release. For this reason, an increasing number of manufacturers are using markers of this kind to substantiate their claims, she explains further.

Haelixa is a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH).