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Markers on 50,000 metric tons of cotton pave the way for verifying Brazilian fiber at the point of sale.

Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand in the production of fibers in the Brazilian field exported to the United States. Therefore, FibreTrace®, a real-time fiber verification technology, has just announced an innovative partnership with the retail chain Target Corp. and Cargill, a leading company in providing food, ingredients, and agricultural solutions.

The Brazilian cotton originated in Mato Grosso from Bom Futuro, a reference agribusiness company with production grounded in good agricultural practices and care for the soil and local biodiversity. The partnership places origin markers on 50,000 metric tons of raw cotton from the U.S. and Brazil in the first year.

The project begins at the cotton ginning stage, the initial phase of fiber processing, where FibreTrace® introduces luminescent pigments to the raw cotton, creating a unique signature that allows traceability of these elements throughout the production chain. By leveraging FibreTrace technology, Target Corp. can track and verify the origin of the fiber in real time, further promoting transparency across the global textile supply chain with enhanced value from exclusively digital traceability solutions.

“FibreTrace® is excited about the partnership with Target and Cargill to provide innovation, transparency, and fiber integrity for cotton from the U.S. and Brazil,” said Mitch Standen, Head of the Americas for FibreTrace®.

This initiative underscores a shared commitment to sustainability and transparency in the apparel and home goods sectors.

For Bom Futuro, the partnership aligns with its commitment to innovation in production models, always seeking the best and most modern practices in cultivation, management, and generation.

The partnership between FibreTrace®, Target, Cargill, and Bom Futuro is a clear example of how collaboration among different links in the production chain can lead to significant advancements, promoting sustainability and innovation in the sector. For us, it is a pleasure to be part of this project, and we believe the combined strength of all these companies adds more power towards change,” said Roberto Bortoncello, Commercial Director of Bom Futuro.

“Achieving full visibility of where the cotton used to produce our products is grown is among our sustainability goals,” said Bill Foudy, Senior Vice President and President of Owned Brands at Target.

FibreTrace® connects physical and digital traceability to provide unparalleled results, starting with the integration of patented luminescent pigments into raw cotton at the ginning stage, creating a unique signature for the fiber. The pigments are then digitized and tracked at each point in the supply chain, with identification and verification on-site in real time. The data is securely uploaded to Blockchain and shared through the FibreTrace® platform or a digital platform of the brand's choice.

“Cargill plays a crucial role as a supply chain partner, ensuring that FibreTrace is implemented in our process and then delivering this specific cotton to Target,” said Fernando Zeferino, Commercial Manager at Cargill. “This is a great opportunity to build a traceable supply chain that helps Target identify where its cotton is sourced, based on the technology provided by FibreTrace.”

The collaboration represents a significant milestone for the cotton and textile industries, paving the way for brands to access real-time verification, allowing proof of claims regarding cotton from the U.S. and Brazil, authenticating fiber origin, and instilling trust and confidence in consumers.

Source: Cargill