Cargill, FibreTrace® give cotton traceability a glow up

 

Did you ever think the T-shirt on your hanger and a firefly could share something in common?

Thanks to our new partnership with FibreTrace® — a company that offers traceability technology for the textile industry — the connection might be closer than you think. 

Imagine adding an invisible pigment to cotton when it reaches a cotton gin. This pigment, which glows under a special light, allows us to track each piece of cotton as it moves through the global supply chain.

That’s the kind of innovation this partnership is bringing to the cotton industry. This blend of physical and digital tracking sets a new standard for cotton traceability — essential for customers who want to know their cotton is responsibly sourced.

Our partnership aims to tag 50,000 metric tons of U.S. and Brazilian raw cotton.

“FibreTrace® is thrilled to partner with Cargill to deliver innovation, transparency, and fiber integrity for U.S. and Brazilian cotton,” says Mitch Standen, head of Americas for FibreTrace®. “This partnership exemplifies our commitment to advancing sustainability in the textile industry.”

 

Why is cotton traceability important?

Transparency in the cotton supply chain starts in fields like the one above. 

Traceability is a key tool for increasing transparency in the cotton supply chain. It helps brands and consumers understand where and how their cotton was grown, harvested, processed and manufactured. 

FibreTrace’s technology provides insights that help ensure the cotton is sourced ethically and is authentically the product it claims to be. 

 

How does the technology work?

FibreTrace’s bioluminescent ceramic pigments are added to cotton fibers to give them a unique signature.

After cotton is harvested from the field and arrives at the gin, a bioluminescent ceramic pigment — finer than a speck of dust — is added to the cotton fibers. Each batch of pigment is unique, similar to technology used in bank notes and passports. 

Patented FibreTrace scanners can then scan the pigment throughout the supply chain, logging information about what happened to the fiber at each stop. This allows brands to share an authenticated product journey with their customers. 

 

What is Cargill’s role?

FibreTrace technology helps Cargill offer customers a higher level of traceability for their cotton.

As a connector of the agricultural supply chain, we secure cotton from farmers and work with cotton gins to add the FibreTrace technology. 

As the supply chain partner for various retailers, we also sell cotton after the ginning process to verified downstream partners that eventually sell finished yarn, fabric and garments to customers. 

“Cargill plays a crucial role as the supply chain partner, ensuring FibreTrace is implemented in the process at the gin and then delivering that specific cotton,” says Matt Dunbar, managing director for Cargill's cotton business. “We are excited to build a traceable supply chain that pinpoints where cotton is sourced, leveraging the technology provided by FibreTrace.”

 

Expanding the technology

Danielle Statham, founder and managing director of FibreTrace, hopes this partnership will inspire broader industry accountability. After a successful launch, we’re already in talks with various brands and retailers to expand the use of FibreTrace technology. 

“We hope that this partnership will inspire a ripple effect of change, demonstrating to other companies what is possible,” she says. “We encourage the level of traceability this partnership provides to customers for other brands to follow our lead.”

 

 

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