April, 2020
Interview with Dr. Michela Puddu, CEO of Haelixa.
Dr. Michaela Puddu explains how 2017 >>venture>> winner, Haelixa, uses its smart DNA tracers and blockchain technology to help trace organic cotton from farm to consumer in a new initiative.
Our 2017 winner, Haelixa, has been making splash in the news with its new pilot project. Haelixa uses its smart DNA tracers and blockchain technology to help trace organic cotton from farm to consumer in a pioneering new initiative called the Organic Cotton Traceability Pilot. The project aims to help consumers make more informed choices by providing increased transparency about the origin of the clothes they buy.
Who is involved in the Organic Cotton Traceability Pilot and why is it important for Haelixa?
Through the pilot, we could test and successfully validate our solution in the organic cotton supply chain. Our solution consists in applying unique DNA markers to the material at the farm or cotton manufacturing facility, which can be later detected at any point down the supply chain to obtain product information (cotton origin, authenticity, purity), enabling full end-to-end supply-chain control. The pilot was created through a partnership between Fashion for Good, C&A Foundation, the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), and Bext360 with the goal to develop a complete solution to drive transparency in the organic cotton industry. The first phase of the project was made possible with the support of Pratibha Syntex, Kering, Zalando, PVH Corp., C&A and other technical partners, and has proved that we can reliably trace organic cotton from farm to gin. The initiative reflects very well our mission to enable the ethical, responsible and transparent production and distribution of consumer goods.
What are your next steps to move forward with this great initiative?
The next phase will cover the portion of supply chain from gin to consumer, making it possible to unravel the whole story of the organic cotton from the farm to the consumer.