New Zealand's Oritain & Panda Biotech to develop traceable hemp fibre

30 Jul '21

2 min read

Pic: Oritain

New Zealand’s Oritain and Panda Biotech have announced a partnership to create the world’s first scientifically traceable hemp fibre, from field to garment, for the textile industry. Panda Biotech is a first mover in the emerging US industrial hemp fibre and hurd industry. Oritain is a world leader in using forensic science to trace the origin of products.

With new laws in the United States, a global shift back to natural materials and a greater need for green alternatives to synthetics, Panda Biotech will process premium, textile-grade, cottonised natural hemp fibre for industrial and consumer products. Their first facility is in Wichita Falls, Texas, and will be operational in mid-2022. The latest partnership with Oritain will see the two companies working together, according to a media statement by Oritain.

An increased focus on the environmental and societal impact of clothing and the fashion industry at large has created a renewed focus on natural raw materials that can help address some of the sustainability problems faced. Hemp is an incredibly versatile material that is far less energy intensive than current fibres used and completely biodegradable. But, as with any sustainable material, the benefits can often be undermined by false claims of where and how the industrial hemp was grown, farmed, and processed.

Thanks to a partnership with scientific traceability company, Oritain, Panda Biotech can assure their brand partners and the consumer that all the hemp fibre the company processes in Texas is authentic US hemp, grown by US farmers. Panda Biotech is developing what is believed to be the largest hemp facility in the world and investing heavily in a greener future. Working with Oritain, Panda Biotech can protect and promote that future and, together, help the industry, and consumers, dress more responsibly

“Companies like Panda Biotech are working hard to deliver viable, green alternatives to synthetics for the textile industry and we’re incredibly proud to not only help protect their work but to underpin it with scientific trust and integrity. Together, we can build a traceable and transparent textile hemp industry,” Grant Cochrane the CEO of Oritain said in a statement.

“We are excited for our global brand partners to be able to have complete confidence in American grown and processed industrial hemp when marketing their products,” Dixie Carter, president at Panda Biotech said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)