Origin Verification Leads the Discussion at Textile Exchange Conference 2026

Turning traceability commitments into proof was the focus in Vancouver, Canada, as Oritain joined brands, suppliers and industry partners at the Textile Exchange Conference 2026.

Held from October 12-16, the five-day conference brought together experts from across fashion, textiles and apparel to explore the biggest issues facing the industry and develop solutions together. 

As a global leader in proof of origin, Oritain was proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the conference, supporting the industry's push for greater traceability and transparency in fashion.

This year's theme, ‘The Implementation Era’, set the tone for the week, with a focus on scaling what works across businesses and supply chains. The conversation moved from setting ambitions to delivering them and showing evidence of real progress. It's a shift Oritain is already part of, through collaborations with partners such as USCTP - COTTON USA and TextileGenesis that put origin verification to work in live supply chains.

Bringing partners together

Senior members of the Oritain team attended the conference, including Chief Commercial Officer Rupert Hodges, Chief Customer Officer Gemma Lynch, and VP Strategic Partnerships Ben Tomkins. With brands under growing pressure to prove where their materials come from, the team’s conversations focused on the challenges they’re facing in practice and how independent verification can help them move from commitments to proven results.  

Those conversations continued on the evening of Tuesday, October 13, at a networking reception Oritain co-hosted with USCTP - COTTON USA, TextileGenesis and Supima. The event welcomed businesses from across the industry, including leading brands in apparel, fashion, footwear, and consumer goods.

During the evening, guests watched a short video showing what the four organizations have in common and how their capabilities complement each other. Together, industry programs, digital traceability and independent scientific verification give brands robust, end-to-end traceability, from raw fiber through to finished product.

Building trust in connected supply chains

The following afternoon, Oritain hosted a session titled Building Trust in Connected Supply Chains – What happens when verification becomes a shared value proposition for both buyers and suppliers? The session attracted a great deal of interest from across the industry, with equal numbers of brands and suppliers in attendance.

Ben opened the session by spotlighting key insights from Oritain's 2026 Supplier Intelligence Report, which launched at the conference. The report draws on Oritain's Analysis of Suppliers' Traceability Knowledge (2025), a survey of 122 senior supplier decision makers across ten key markets in Asia and Southeast Asia.

“One of the most interesting findings from our new report was the level of engagement we saw from suppliers,” said Ben. “The results showed that 77% of suppliers want to collaborate on origin-verification initiatives. This reflects the strong desire of businesses across cotton and fashion to work together to drive better outcomes for the industry.”

Ben and Rupert were then joined by Marc Lewkowitz, President & CEO of Supima, and Amit Gautam, Founder & CEO of TextileGenesis, for a panel discussion on how industry collaboration, verification and shared accountability are helping build greater trust across global supply chains. The conversation explored emerging supplier perspectives, and the opportunities created when brands, suppliers and industry partners work together.

The report's findings also reached an audience beyond the conference floor. Gemma and Ben were interviewed by Sourcing Journal, which featured insights from the Supplier Intelligence Report in its coverage, titled ‘How Cotton Suppliers Really Feel About Traceability’.

From compliance to collaboration

Several themes emerged throughout the conversation, each pointing to where the industry is heading next.

1. The industry is moving from compliance to collaboration. Suppliers increasingly want to be active participants in origin verification initiatives, rather than simply responding to customer requirements.

2. Building trust requires shared responsibility. Brands, suppliers, industry programs, technology providers and independent verification partners each have a role to play. The greatest value comes when these capabilities work together across the supply chain.

3. Consistency and confidence matter more than ever. As expectations around transparency continue to grow, organizations are looking for stronger ways to support origin claims, manage risk and demonstrate supply chain integrity.

4. Collaboration creates network effects. Broader participation across the supply chain benefits everyone, creating greater visibility, trust and resilience for all involved.

The recently relaunched Oritain Membership program is designed to bring these ideas together, building stronger supply chains by bringing responsible buyers and suppliers together.

“Membership is important in helping to turn verification into ongoing value,” said Ben. “It gives buyers and suppliers an ongoing way to verify origin claims, understand the wider context around the results and use that evidence in sourcing, compliance and risk decisions. It’s about making verification more useful for the businesses doing the work.”

In the Implementation Era, origin verification is no longer a checkbox. It's a shared foundation for trust between buyers and suppliers.

To find out where Oritain will be next visit our Events page or get in touch to arrange a meeting with our team.

Photo credit: Threshold Studios