A company that tests and verifies components in textiles has now mapped all Supima cotton growing regions in the U.S. Supima is also the name of the Tempe-based company that promotes U.S. cotton producers of this type.
The developed technology is designed to identify fraud in cotton manufacturing by verifying its authenticity.
Supima hired verification company Oritain. Executive Director, Rupert Hodges, says the cotton industry is fighting fraud in the global supply chain. Cotton and wool make up $5.9 billion in U.S. textile exports annually, according to the Census Bureau. In Arizona, cotton is a $500 million industry each year.
Supima wanted a third-party verification, an assurance of authenticity that its cotton has not been substituted or blended. The process involves identifying a unique distinguishing fingerprint for each product, verifying where it was grown.
Supima cotton is only grown in the US, specifically in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.
