The partnership comes as Germany begins enforcing new anti-greenwashing measures and global brands encounter increased scrutiny under the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
The companies have developed a two-layer approach that integrates physical verification of cotton fibres with supply chain data ready for Digital Product Passports (DPP), reflecting the changing expectations of regulators in both the EU and the US.
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The amended German Act Against Unfair Competition now enforces a ban on generic or unverifiable environmental claims, demanding specific proof rather than intent or supporting documentation. UFLPA enforcement continues to require importers to provide evidence that their cotton is unconnected to forced labour.
GenuTrace provides fibre-level isotope testing, which offers independent scientific analysis of a cotton product’s geographic origin.
Kinset supplies the digital infrastructure that organises and links supplier and location data throughout the value chain, producing records designed for regulatory clarity in line with forthcoming DPP requirements.
GenuTrace founder and CEO MeiLin Wan said: “Regulation has fundamentally changed the question brands must answer. It’s no longer where did you intend to source from? It’s can you prove that the cotton in this product actually comes from where you say it does? By linking physical origin verification directly to digital records, we help companies respond to enforcement with evidence, not explanations.”
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By GlobalDataThe joint initiative is intended to assist brands that operate in multiple regions facing escalating standards around traceability and disclosure.
This approach enables “earlier detection” of sourcing risks and aims to support preparedness for audits as well as consistent declarations across markets where future DPP will be required.
With regulatory enforcement intensifying in both Germany under greenwashing rules and in the US through UFLPA, companies are increasingly required to limit claims to those they can substantiate with direct evidence.
The collaboration between GenuTrace and Kinset seeks to address these requirements by linking physical proof of fibre origin directly to digital records throughout the supply chain.
Kinset CEO and co-founder Katie O’Riordan said: “Digital Product Passports and due-diligence systems only work if the data behind them is credible. Our collaboration focuses on connecting existing supply-chain data with independent physical verification, so companies can strengthen compliance without rebuilding their systems from scratch.”
