Tailorlux is awarded with patent for quantification of material blends
The patent GB2592691 covers the analysis of materials to detect blends with a composite spectroscopic signal to quantify polymers and fibres in products.
This is a major step towards more transparent supply chains. The patent has been processed in record time via the “Green Channel” for technologies with an environmental benefit.
Tailorlux is known as a pioneer in the field of industrial marking solutions based on the optical fingerprint. Since 2012 Tailorlux has started to embed these inorganic tracers in all kinds of fibres, coatings and polymers to proof the origin of textile goods and products. The new patent is taking this technology one step further towards the quantification of marked products with in-field and in-line sensors that are directly connected to a database to analyse these products.
“We are able to determine the proportion of marked material running through the supply chain to have clear evidence about blends in fibres, yarn and fabrics”, says Dr. Steffen Driever from Tailorlux. This application can be specifically used to determine recycled content claims. The patent is a logical step after successful trials with a sensor prototype in 2021 which combined NIR/VIS Spectroscopy and cameras to determine PET and Cotton content in a fabric.
The patent falls in line with the development roadmap of a new handheld device that will be presented in 2022. This device will give access to a VIS/NIR-Database of analysed products to determine the content of a fabric even without the presence of a tracer. The system, described in the patent specifically contributes to blockchain-solutions. The sensor data and the data of the unique spectral composite signal are relevant to create unique datasets during production.
Principal Component Analysis of different tracer dosages
In an earlier project, funded by the German Environmental Foundation, Tailorlux developed the first quantification sensor for fabrics. This sensor is the first scanning device to determine the material blend of fabrics. The prototype is still a bit bulky but the first steps to combine NIR/VIS and camera detection to share these data with a distributed ledger. Tailorlux will now move on to bring this sensor set into a handheld device to allow the detection of fibre blends at any stage of the supply chain.
