From the Sector

In a significant advancement for supply chain transparency, TextileGenesis has introduced a new feature in its advanced digital traceability solution, the Fiber-to-Retail (FTR) module, enabling suppliers to upload Haelixa DNA/Forensic Traceability Certificates via a dedicated dropdown menu: ‘DNA/Forensic Traceability Certificate’. This integration bridges the gap between physical and digital traceability, offering brands and suppliers a unified platform to verify material authenticity from source to retail.  

The textile industry continues to face growing risks of fiber adulteration, blending, and fraudulent claims, particularly when it comes to premium materials such as organic cotton, recycled fibers, cashmere, and other high-value fibers. By combining Haelixa’s forensic DNA markers, which are embedded directly into the fiber, with TextileGenesis’ blockchain-inspired digital chain of custody, this integration enables a multi-layered traceability system, providing irrefutable scientific evidence alongside transparent, tamper-proof digital records. 

“Traceability must go beyond trust—it must be verifiable,” said Gediminas Mikutis, Founder & CTO of Haelixa. “By embedding natural DNA markers at the fiber level, we offer forensic proof of origin. When paired with TextileGenesis’ digital platform, brands gain unprecedented visibility and assurance over the authenticity of their materials throughout the supply chain.” 
  
“Supply chain transparency demands both depth and integrity,” adds Amit Gautam, Founder & CEO of TextileGenesis. “This integration with Haelixa is a powerful example of how digital and physical traceability methods can complement one another. It allows brands to consolidate all traceability data, transactional, certified, and forensic, into a single, trusted system of record.” 
  
As global regulatory frameworks increasingly emphasize evidence-based sustainability claims, this collaboration supports brands and suppliers in strengthening their traceability infrastructure, reducing compliance risks, and reinforcing consumer trust through authenticated data and science-backed proof of origin. 

About Haelixa 
Traceability is in high demand across industries as regulatory pressures increase. Haelixa offers a bulletproof DNA-based traceability solution that empowers responsible textile brands to verify material authenticity and track product origins from fiber to finished garment. Natural DNA from Swiss mountain herbs, compliant with GOTS and Oeko-Tex 100, is applied. With this technology, Haelixa complements digital traceability by providing secure, physical proof of origin.  

Backed by the expertise of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Haelixa is a globally recognised leader in supply chain transparency. Trusted by major brands such as C&A, OVS, and Hugo Boss, Haelixa traced over 30 million garments in 2024, according to their sales records. 

About TextileGenesis: 
Founded in 2018, TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that enables fashion brands and sustainable textile manufacturers to ensure a reliable, secure and fully digital traceability of their textiles, from the fiber to the consumer, and thereby guarantee their authenticity and origins. The platform provides traceability for textiles, leather and footwear, employing fiber forwards traceability for sustainable and certified materials and Supply Chain discovery approach to traceability for conventional materials. 
  
Its innovative traceability mechanism, which addresses both ends of the textile value chain, as well as its network of partners for material certification, and its technology platform guarantee the exchange and tracking of reliable and secure data throughout a material's life cycle. TextileGenesis platform also identifies and flags supply chain compliance/legal risks across the value chain from tier 1-4 for brands. 

As a leader in colour measurement and management solutions, Verivide will showcase its latest DigiEye imaging system at the forthcoming ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition in Singapore from October 28-31.

This benefits from 100% LED illumination, improving the accuracy of colour assessments while supporting environmentally responsible practices in colour management.

Designed for efficiency and reliability, the DigiEye includes integrated dust filtration and a fully enclosed camera for added security. 

Unlike its predecessor, the new DigiEye no longer requires annual fluorescent lamp changes, thanks to its 100% LED light source. The system also includes software-integrated lighting controls and lighting geometry checking, enhancing its precision and ease of use. Additionally, it now has the ability to auto-capture images upon door closure, making it ideal for imaging multiple samples quickly and efficiently.

The new DigiEye offers significant upgrades, including a 67% larger imaging area and a 112% larger measurement area. Its drawer load rating has increased by 55%, and the LED light source lasts ten time longer than before. 

As part of the VeriVide ecosystem, the DigiEye integrates seamlessly with UltraView, VisionView and the VeriVide Portal, offering a comprehensive solution for all colour management needs. 

Abrasion and pilling testing 
Martindale testing needs little introduction to textile manufacturers, being well established as the industry standard for abrasion and pilling testing since its initial development and introduction by James Heal back in the 1940s.

For 2025, however, James Heal’s development team have taken a fresh look at this classic instrument and the result is the new Martindale Motion.
This redesigned nine-station Martindale instrument with individual lifting heads now offers the flexibility to run each station independently for carrying out different textile tests simultaneously.

Multiple textiles can be tested at the same time through to conclusion without intervention. Once set up, the Martindale Motion can be left running with the sample holders automatically lifting at the required evaluation points, freeing up the operator’s time to do other work without the need to return until the abrasion or pilling test is fully completed, including overnight.

Each sample is kept in-tact at the end point for evaluation and checking, reducing queries on grading and the potential need for re-testing. Further refinements include a new hinged access to change the self-aligning drive pins, allowing quick and safe switching between tests.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the James Heal Martindale range has seen numerous updates, models and innovations over the years, such as touchscreen and user-friendly software, best-in-class safety features combined with the signature near silent running of this staple lab instrument. Added to this have been the introduction of the DurAbrasion multi-function testing machine, later followed by the market-leading evolution, the AquAbrasion wet abrasion tester launched in 2019.

The Martindale Motion, however, is now taking productivity and efficiency to a higher level than ever before.

Radio frequency drying
Total control of textile drying is meanwhile enabled with the advanced radio freqency (RF) technology of Strayfield, which has over 4,000 installations worldwide and provides solutions tailored to diverse textile applications such as cotton, wool, polyester, nylon, silk, acrylic and speciality blends.

Strayfield technology enables consistent quality, superior output and sustainability benefits through gentle and uniform drying, ensuring even results and moisture removal across entire batches and preserving fibre integrity, colour vibrancy and softness without yellowing or shrinkage.
Adaptive electrodes regulate power delivery according to product height and moisture, maximising efficiency and eliminating energy waste and unlike conventional rod systems, Strayfield’s full-area plates deliver consistent energy density for gentle drying without hotspots.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemicals company, reinforced its commitment to advancing innovation and entrepreneurship by sponsoring the 12th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC), hosted by Singapore Management University (SMU). 

The LKYGBPC, Asia’s largest university startup challenge focused on urban solutions and sustainability, drew more than 1,500 applications from six continents, with 57 finalists competing at the Grand Finals Week in Singapore. Ms. Catia Cesari, Managing Partner of Volta Circle, represented Indorama Ventures on the judging panel. Volta Circle, an investment platform within the Lohia single-family office, supports early-stage ventures driving innovation in green chemicals, advanced recycling, and waste management value chain. While operating independently, its mission complements Indorama Ventures’ broader sustainability strategy. 

Indorama Ventures also presented the “Future of Sustainable Materials Award”, recognizing university ventures with outstanding achievements in advanced fibers and polymers, bio-based feedstocks, advanced recycling, and circular economy solutions. The award supports early-stage startups at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 or higher, with prizes of S$50,000 in the Beta track and S$75,000 in the Infinity track. Winners were evaluated on scientific merit, scalability, industrial validation potential, and impact on urban infrastructure and manufacturing. 

This year, Indorama Ventures recommended six finalists with innovations spanning AI-enabled materials discovery, low-emissions chemical scale-up, and bio-fabricated alternatives for hard-to-abate sectors. The winners of Indorama Ventures’ Future of Sustainable Materials Award were “Synmetabio”- a Shanghai-based biomaterial startup developing high performance biobased leather solutions (awarded S$75,000), and “Micromelt” – a UK-based deep tech startup who is advancing green closed-loop solutions for mixed plastics with microwave technology (awarded S$50,000). 

Mr. Yash Lohia, Executive President of Petchem and Chairman of the ESG Council, said, “At Indorama Ventures, sustainability drives our innovation strategy. We collaborate with startups to develop recycling technologies and bio-based materials that can scale from lab to industry, supporting the transition to a more circular economy. We recognize that startups hold the key to breakthrough solutions that provide a competitive edge. Through initiatives like the LKYGBPC, we connect entrepreneurial talent with our global platform to accelerate solutions that create long-term value for society and our business.” 

At the Grand Finals Week Dr. Anthony Watanabe, Chief Sustainability Officer at Indorama Ventures, joined CSO Conversations to explore how businesses can build climate resilience, harness digital governance, and mobilize capital for impact. He shared valuable insights on Indorama Ventures’ investments in advanced PET recycling, innovation process, bio-based feedstocks, and ESG achievements with prominent sustainability leaders during the roundtable discussions. 

SMU’s partnership with Indorama Ventures reflects a shared belief that scaling university-led innovation is essential to accelerate sustainability and circularity across borders. Through mentorship, funding, and ecosystem-building, Indorama Ventures continues to shape a future where materials are more innovative, more circular, and more sustainable.

FET is launching the FET-500 Series of gel spinning systems in a move that could revolutionise the research and development of UHMWPE fibres.

Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd (FET) of Leeds, UK, has built a reputation in medical fibre extrusion technology and innovations, designing and delivering high-performance equipment for a range of precursor medical products, including bespoke extrusion systems for the production of both resorbable and non-absorbable sutures. FET’s equipment supports small-scale, adaptable production and rapid new product development.       

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for R&D of UHMWPE fibres. These fibres are prized in many industries due to their extraordinary properties. However, current production processes are complex and focused on the large-scale output of existing fibre grades. This rigid supply chain has stifled innovation in this untapped product market.

The FET-500 gel spinning systems will address this gap in the market. The FET-500 enables a flexible and consistent process, able to produce quality fibres with less than 100 grams of polymer, while avoiding the harsh processing chemicals that were historically associated with gel spinning. The key to unlocking this lab and pilot scale flexibility is the use of supercritical carbon dioxide as a green solvent in a patent-pending process.

Gel spinning starts with extrusion, but the additional washing and drawing technology to produce finished yarn is critical to the overall performance characteristics. An example of the wide range of features and benefits can be shown in the Washing process, with Patent Pending technology using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide:

Extract carrier oil without using toxic, environmentally harmful chemicals such as Hexane and DCM.

• CO2 is green, cheap, abundant, and significantly safer to work with
• CO2 efficiently dissolves carrier oils without affecting the polymer yarn

Reduced operational costs

• 9-Vast reduction in solvent use (CO2 vs Hexane/DCM)
• Comprehensive oil recovery and recycling
• Zero solvent waste is generated, unlike the hexane route

Compact and efficient batch washing system

• Recipe controlled plug and play technology
• Scalable and adjustable to customer needs
• Carrier oil is recovered and fed back to the extrusion process
• 80% reduction in factory footprint vs hexane route

FET’s Fibre Development Centre is critical to the inception and success of the FET-500. Having this facility located in Leeds where the manufacturing takes place allows FET to offer a gateway to de-risk, develop and demonstrate the system’s capabilities. FET houses a full demonstration line of the FET-500 to allow customers, existing and new, to visit and experience the system operating from start to finish. They can also aid in developing new products and operating parameters through R&D trials, giving customers the confidence and knowledge to transfer a new product offering onto a production line.