Cotton USA enters partnership to verify cotton origin with Oritain

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Nov 4, 2019

American cotton supplier Cotton USA has partnered with Oritain, a traceability service company, to launch a new initiative to verify the origin of U.S. cotton.

The collaboration will allow Cotton USA to boost its image as a secure supplier with the support of Oritain’s forensic verification capabilities, which will be used to ensure the origin for all U.S. cotton.

The tech enhancement is set to be particularly interesting to brands looking to ensure the sustainable lifecycle of their cotton. 

Oritain's technology will analyze data points like soil composition and other environmental factors to guarantee the cotton’s origin, the company said, targeting traceability challenges including the risk of supply chain partners blending the product with lower quality fibers. 

“This partnership with Oritain will provide Cotton USA with a unique selling point in both domestic and export markets,” said Bruce Atherley, executive director of Cotton Council International, Cotton USA’s non-profit parent company.

“Now U.S. cotton will offer the highest level of end-to-end traceability in the industry, combined with a raw material that is leading the way in terms of sustainable practices – two things that global clothing brands now demand from their suppliers.” 

“Global supply chains are incredibly complex and the potential for blending and other illegal activity in the production of cotton textile products is large,” added Rupert Hodges, executive director of Oritain.

“However, given that Oritain’s Origin Fingerprint cannot be altered or faked, Cotton USA and their customers can be safe in the knowledge that their product is exactly what it says it is.”

The partnership follows a successful pilot program and blind test for Oritain, the companies said, during which samples were collected across Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, and subsequently identified with 100% accuracy. 

Under the Cotton USA mark, Cotton Council International promotes U.S. cotton fiber and manufactured cotton products around the world, with a presence in over 50 countries through 20 offices worldwide.