Wool organisation to work with Oritain
New Zealand-based traceability technology provider Oritain has agreed a new partnership with British Wool, a collective owned by around 35,000 sheep farmers across the UK.
Oritain’s method combines forensic science and statistics to detect naturally occurring elements in fibres, including wool. Soil composition and other environmental factors give the fibre an inherent ‘fingerprint’ specific to each location. Oritain calls this the ‘origin fingerprint’.
It will use this method to gather data to determine exactly what wool from the United Kingdom looks like. With this ‘original fingerprint’ at hand, it will then analyse wool throughout the supply chain, comparing the data. A match will suggest genuine British wool; an inconsistent result will, however, suggest tampering, blending or adulteration.
The technology provider has worked with organisations in the wider textile industry since 2017. It says now that the fashion industry has grown to represent the biggest proportion of its business.
