Haelixa, a Swiss DNA-based tracing services provider, has collaborated with Diamond Denim, one of the leading denims fully vertical manufacturers, to promote transparency within the denim supply chains. Haelixa offers a traceability solution based on DNA and works with brands and manufacturers providing a forensic proof for product origin and authenticity from source to retail.
“The collaboration with Haelixa shows Diamond Denim’s commitment to transparency through traceability. In the first joint project cotton fibre was marked after bale opening in the Diamond factory in Lahore,” the Swiss technology firm said. “The read out, conducted in the Haelixa labs in Switzerland, was done with garment after several household washings as well as with different intermediate products from various production stages. It was a prerequisite for Diamond that the traceability solution used is in line with their sustainability standards: Haelixa markers are proven to be harmless for humans and the environment, GMO-free, vegan, GOTS and OekoTex 100 compliant. As Diamond Denim is investing heavily in new eco-friendly and sustainable technology to augment their use of recycled fibre, Haelixa will support them in a next project providing a forensic proof for their claims related to the use of recycled fibre.”
“We are very happy with our first industrial application of the Haelixa marker. Once production was completed, we sent blind marked and unmarked samples back to Haelixa and their analysis proved to be 100 per cent accurate! Within our mission to provide a clean and sustainable denim product, physical traceability is a big step forward. Haelixa reinforces our already solid supply chain controls and renders irrefutable proof that our product indeed contains what we declare,” Ali Abdullah, co-founder of Diamond Denim by Sapphire, said in a press release.
“We are proud to be able to support Diamond Denim in their commitment to transparency and sustainability. We also believe that being able to proof the use of recycled fibre will become crucial as there are more and more false claims related to recycling,” Michela Puddu, co-founder and CEO of Haelixa said.
Haelixa can develop a unique DNA marker to identify a specific brand, supplier, collection or even production lot and material type (eg recycled vs non-recycled). Unlike in paper-based chain of custody or in blockchains, the product information is never separated from the product itself, but safely embedded in it all time and cannot be tampered with. With its DNA based traceability solution, Haelixa addresses three key challenges of the textile industry: the need for transparency in global textile supply chains and the ability to prove product origin and sustainability claims.
Diamond Denim is a part of the renowned Sapphire Group and one of the leading denim mills and garment makers in Pakistan. Diamond Denims offers vertically integrated solutions from yarn to garments with a strong focus on sustainable fibres, eco-friendly chemicals and water savings, leading the way in an industry that is known to have a high environmental impact.