Eastman, manufacturer of Naia products–including Naia Renew, a sustainable material made with renewable bio-based and molecularly recycled waste–has collaborated with TextileGenesis to use blockchain technology to identify and track the path Naia takes from raw materials to final garment.
Using advanced digital technologies and supply chain modeling, TextileGenesis traces every phase of garment making, citing farm and factory locations and every process used to get a product from point of origin to final retail destination. The TextileGenesis system engages all tiers of a supplier’s ecosystem to create traceability based on five key principles.
They are verifying the point of origin by digitizing any textile asset to ensure there is no double counting; capturing real-time shipment transactions across supply tiers; value chain modeling using augmented intelligence to gain insight on complex textile value chains along with wastage and loss factors; creating a cross-industry ecosystem by working with organizations, exchanges, established protocols and sustainable fiber producers to apply environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, and supporting independent, third-party verification, including by those that perform forensic fiber audits and verify the ESG credentials of suppliers.
“Traceability in the textiles supply chain is a crucial step for a more transparent industry overall,” said Claudia de Witte, sustainability leader at Eastman Textile Fibers. “Joining the TextileGenesis platform is an exciting addition to our existing Naia verification program. By collaborating with fellow innovators, we are delivering on our 2022 sustainability goal to enable advanced technology and information solutions for tracking and tracing our materials.”
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According to de Witte, the TextileGenesis partnership demonstrates Eastman’s commitment to partner with industry leaders to implement systematic changes that help ensure that sustainable textiles are accessible to all.
“Traceability is fast becoming a key prerequisite to sustainable product offerings,” said Amit Gautam, TextileGenesis CEO and founder. “Our partnership with Eastman will create unprecedented supply chain traceability for Naia fibers and filament toward retail brands. It moves forward the sustainable fibers industry to create end-to-end traceability.”
Made with the vision to inspire more eco-friendly fashion and home textiles, Naia cellulosic yarns and fiber are responsibly sourced from sustainably managed pine and eucalyptus forests to ensure no deforestation of ancient and endangered forests. For further sustainability, Naia Renew gives brands the opportunity to offer circularity at scale. Produced from 60 percent sustainably sourced and traceable wood pulp and 40 percent certified recycled waste materials, Naia Renew creates new value from hard-to-recycle materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills, incinerators or other undesirable end-of-life destinations.
“Understanding where materials come from is a vital part of a brand’s sustainability story,” de Witte said. “By working with TextileGenesis, we’re giving our brand partners at Naia travel log from factory floors to retailers’ doors, complete with snapshots that detail its journey across the value chain. And in the end, this gives consumers the information they need to make ethical decisions about their fashion.”
TextileGenesis is a supply chain traceability platform for the fashion and textile industry, enabled by blockchain technology. Its Fibercoin technology creates real-time traceability at article level from fiber to retail.
The platform is custom-built for all sustainable fibers, including man-made cellulosic fibers, sustainable cotton, responsible wool and recycled polyester, creating a sustainable network of leading fiber producers and hundreds of textile suppliers to ensure rapid deployment and scalability of the end-to-end traceability.