By Tony Benson, Managing Director, Applied DNA Sciences Europe

Applied DNA Sciences recently announced the completion of its consortium research project with UK-based BLC Leather Technology Centre, which demonstrated the application and recovery of SigNature DNA tags throughout the leather supply chain, from animals on the farm to the leather-finishing process at the factory. Chemicals Knowledge asked Tony Benson, Managing Director, Applied DNA Sciences Europe, to learn more about the project, and how it will help to improve traceability throughout the leather supply chain.

Why is traceability important for leather?
The leather supply chain, similar to cotton, is truly globalized. Typically, the supply networks of leading brands and retailers comprise multiple tiers across numerous continents. The complexity of these supply chains contributes to difficulties in quality assurance, sourcing and logistics management, and is further exacerbated by the vast networks of independent suppliers, manufacturers and raw material sources across the leather sector.