In a quiet corner of rural North Yorkshire, scientists at Agroisolab UK are working on technology which they believe has the potential to be a game changer in terms of tackling the textiles industry’s traceability problem. Whether or not fibres are what they’re claimed to be has become a giant-sized headache for brands and retailers anxious to keep risks like forced labour and fraudulent ‘organic’ cotton out of their supply chains.
Roger Young, CEO of Agroisolab UK, is convinced his company can help. But he is also keen to stress that its speciality - isotope analysis - can only be part of the solution. “We are a piece of the jigsaw that works,” he explains.