California Apparel News

Applied DNA Sciences Inc. of Los Angeles is gaining ground in its effort to market its anti-counterfeit DNA-based identification system. The company recently struck a number of deals with public and private agencies that may broadly showcase the product.

Applied DNA and what it called “a major U.S. textile and clothing manufacturer” will soon launch a pilot program to integrate the identification application into various textile products. For security reasons, Applied DNA is not divulging the name of the company.

The system embeds the DNA of plants and other materials into yarn, fabric or thread. The DNA can be scanned later by Applied DNA’s proprietary devices. According to the company, the product remains stable for more than 100 years and can withstand extremely harsh textile processes, including desizing, scouring, bleaching, mercerizing, dyeing and finishing.

At the same time, Applied DNA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research service in Clemson, S.C., are working together to develop a system to mark cotton fabrics and track them through the country. The goal is to prevent offshore resources from taking advantage of U.S. trade laws.

Foreign exporters receive reduced tariffs for U.S.–based cotton. Applied DNA claims its system will identify who is abusing the system. U.S. producers do label their fabrics, but the labels are often removed during the manufacturing process.

“Successful testing with the USDA could result in eventual commercial adoption of our Applied DNA Marker System for U.S. textile manufacturers and the U.S. Customs Service to combat illegal textile imports and put an end to lost U.S. revenues and jobs,” said Larry Lee, Applied DNA’s chief executive officer.

Thread will most likely be the main vehicle that carries the DNA marker for the apparel industry. Applied DNA recently entered into an agreement with the Gastonia, N.C.–based Champion Thread Co., which will commercialize, develop and distribute sewing-thread applications that integrate the DNA marker technology.

Applied DNA sees big opportunities in textiles. U.S. textile sales stood at $48.4 billion in 2002 and $23.7 billion for the first half of 2003, according to the American Textile Manufacturers Association.

But Lee sees the application applying to other sectors of the industry, including emerging radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Applied DNA has begun developing a DNA-embedded chip and an access system for integration with wireless applications.

By combining advanced RFID technology with Applied DNA’s biotechnology, wireless applications will have an added layer of security to prevent counterfeiting, identity theft and unauthorized access, Lee said.

Global shipments of RFID systems totaled almost $900 million in 2000 and are expected to reach $2.6 billion by 2005, according to the Venture Development Corp., a technology market research company based in Natick, Mass.

RFID tags contain an integrated circuit and a reader that emits radio waves. The readers capture data stored in the tags and then relay the information to a computer. The non-contact wireless readers are more accurate than traditional bar-code readers, which have to physically scan the bar codes. RFID tags can be applied to products including security- access systems and high-value assets, as well as containers, pallets and vehicles.

“[RFID tags] are quickly replacing barcode technology and are helping to reduce errors and improve supply-chain efficiency, particularly in warehouse environments,” Lee said.

New Generation Computing Exploring New Frontiers

Miami-based New Generation Computing, best known for its sourcing management software, is expanding its reach into Internetbased product data management.

NGC will release its new product, e-PDM, on April 1. The company created the system to organize the scads of data and specs—including bills of materials, cost sheets, construction details, measurement sheets and storyboards—inherent to the product development process.

Although companies such as Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology have been creating similar products for quite some time, NGC executives think something has been amiss in the apparel and textile marketplace.

“We saw a void in the way other systems were architected,” said Fred Isenberg, NGC’s national sales manager. “There’s been a big disconnection between design, sourcing, merchandising and manufacturing— those who do the costing, measuring, etc. Many companies don’t have integrated tools. And if you don’t have that, you’re going to be in trouble.”

NGC developed the system to work out of the box as a stand-alone product or to integrate with the company’s e-SPS (sourcing and production system) suite, which covers sourcing, work-in-process tracking, production routing, advanced shipping notices and delivery date projections. The lack of integration in the market is what has hampered the true potential of PDM and its speed to market, Isenberg said.

“We’re seeing people have to re-key the data into ERP [Enterprise Resource Planning software] ... or try to find one square [on older systems],” Isenberg said. “That’s not a good way to do business. With an integrated system, you can do it with a click.”

E-PDM, scaled for small to large companies, is written in a Microsoft SQL (structured query language) database. Among the product’s features are visual organizers, component databases and visual bills of material. It can integrate with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and with enterprise resource planning software.