Science Helps Verify Cotton's Origin
It sounds more like something out of CSI than the cotton industry, but forensic science is making its way into the cotton supply chain.
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has launched a new Physical Assurance Program designed to help verify that cotton claimed to be grown in the United States is exactly that. The program uses forensic isotopic analysis, examining characteristics naturally found within cotton to help validate origin claims.
The effort follows a successful pilot project with Oritain, a company specializing in forensic origin verification.
Under the program, randomly selected supplier members may be asked to provide representative yarn or fabric samples for independent testing. Oritain will analyze those samples and compare the results against origin claims made throughout the supply chain.
For California cotton producers, the program represents another effort to build confidence in the origin of U.S.-grown fiber. Trust Protocol President Gary Adams says the organization's digital traceability platform already provides transparency. The new scientific testing is intended to add another layer of confidence by helping support U.S. origin declarations through independent analysis.
