Molecular technologies specialist Applied DNA Sciences (ADNAS) has received an order of US$1 million to supply its SigNature T tagging technology for the 2019/20 cotton ginning season which begins in October.

The Company’s SigNature T technology, paired with its genotyping and digital systems, will be utilised to tag, test and track the Pima variety of cotton – sold by the brand PimaCott – over the coming months in San Joaquin Valley, California.

ADNAS’ technology continues to be leveraged by the textiles industry which, using the authentication system to ensure the origin of a material once delivered to the customer, mitigates the sale of counterfeit goods and enables brands to assure its customers of the sustainability credentials of their textiles.

Earlier this month, feather and down supplier Navarpluma adopted the SigNature T system and introduced it within the feather supply chain. At the time, Benjamin Dix, the Spanish firm’s export manager, noted that the “use of Applied DNA’s SigNature DNA system gives Navarpluma the ability to validate the provenance of raw materials used.”

It will now similarly be used in the cotton ginning season. Dr. James A. Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA, commented: “We are pleased that the value of forensic traceability and genotyping for cotton continues to translate to recurring demand for tagged cotton across the home textile category.

“We believe the SigNature T platform, combined with our partner’s high standards in supply chain quality practices, assure them brand protection and label-claim compliance for retailers and consumers,” he added.

Applied DNA’s authentication mechanism is both simple and cost effective. The application process entails marking each product with a unique invisible solution that can be identified using an instrument later down the line, ensuring the good which eventually is purchased by a brand or retailer integrates what it has been marketed to.

In addition to the system being used to identify the provenance of its Pima cotton, systems are also set to be installed in American Upland and Egyptian varietal cotton gins. While the SigNature T analysis confirms the traceability mark, a patented FiberTyping analysis confirms cotton species from fibre to finished good.

The company says that since 2014, over 250 million pounds of cotton have been tagged to substantiate the origin of the product. This equates to 7,000 tests over a five year period.

Courtesy: EcoTextile News