Kemptthal ZH/Amsterdam – The Denim Deal association will in future use Haelixa’s DNA signature on recycled cotton. This enables its members to make it transparent that the denim they produce actually contains the specified percentage of processed textile waste.
The Denim Deal, an international group of 50 textile manufacturers, will use Haelixa ‘s technology in the future. These companies will mark recycled cotton from denim pants with Haelixa’s DNA signature to make it transparent that it was indeed used in their denim products, according to a media release. Through the Denim Deal brand, manufacturers commit to using 5 percent recycled cotton in all denim collections and to produce 3 million pairs of denim jeans with 20 percent recycled cotton.
The group, based in Amsterdam, is “a shining example of how to create a circular economy where there is no more textile waste,” according to a statement from the spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Using DNA technology, according to Denim Deal coordinator Roosmarie Ruigrok, not only increases the efficiency and profitability of the circular supply chain in the textile industry, “but also builds trust between stakeholders and promotes sustainable practices.”
In recent years, demand for this proprietary recycled denim technology has increased, Haelixa said, as brands are asked to validate their recycling claims. Traceability from retail to source is key to this, he said. “We are committed to promoting the use of recycled fiber through traceability,” said Haelixa’s director of marketing, Holly Berger. “Denim Deal’s goals support our vision of a circular economy.” mm
