FibreTrace, an Australian textile tracing technology firm, has received a European patent for its 'Photon Marker System in Fiber Material.'

The new European patent – EP3538692 – is hoped to bring the Australian textile tracing technology firm one step closer to delivering a fully traceable and transparent system that combines physical and digital traceability with the power of authentication.

The method works by embedding a natural, non-toxic, scannable luminous pigment into any natural, synthetic, or man-made fiber. It provides real-time end-to-end traceability, allowing for indisputable data and narratives supported by scientific proof.

Danielle Statham, the co-founder of Fibretrace, said that it's great to see how quickly the global fashion and interiors sectors are adopting fully transparent and traceable solutions. The European Patent for Fibretrace is a recognition for their team's hard work, research, and development, which gives brands and producers complete trust in the origin of fiber and the validity of their claims.

According to a survey conducted by Mckinsey (2020), 57% of UK and German customers have already made major lifestyle adjustments to lessen their environmental effect, with 65% pledging to purchase more durable fashion products.

Brands are recognizing the need to accelerate the development of transparent solutions in order to stay on the cutting edge of sustainability.

Textiles are the fourth-largest source of environmental strain after food, housing, and transportation, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). There is also a rising discussion about digitalization and transparency across the textile supply chain.

Shannon Mercer, Fibretrace's CEO, said that consumers want to be able to make educated decisions about their purchases. Because of the continuous expansion of technological patents, solutions like theirs may provide companies with genuine change that has a worldwide impact.

On April 2, 2019, Fibretrace obtained its US patent - US Patent 10,247,667 B2 for ‘Photon Markers in Fibre Materials'.