Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., a developer of PCR-based DNA technologies, has secured a subcontract from LRQA to conduct a pilot isotopic testing program for cotton traceability in Pakistan. The contract follows a competitive tender and will be implemented through Applied DNA's CertainT® traceability platform. Financial terms remain undisclosed.

CertainT® is a forensic textile traceability platform that enables verification of materials throughout global supply chains. The program supports the Global Trace Protocol project, a U.S. Department of Labor-funded initiative aimed at reducing child and forced labor in supply chains through enhanced traceability.

Jeff Wheeler, Director of the Global Trace Protocol project at LRQA, highlighted the importance of these traceability tools, especially under new import regulations demanding more documentation to verify cotton origins. The project engages global brands, Pakistan’s cotton sector, and other stakeholders to assess the pilot trace tool.

Applied DNA and its partner, Isotech, will employ isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) at key points in the cotton supply chain, creating a framework for isotopic testing and analyses. This aligns with the project’s goal of improving transparency in global textile value chains.