Think of a global supply chain as a boat. Every partner, from the cotton grower to the ginner, spinner, mill, distributor to the retailer, is on that boat journey together, whether they see it that way or not. When everyone rows in the same direction, with shared accountability and open communication, the boat moves forward. But when assumptions go unexamined and claims are made without the evidence to back them up, those are holes in the boat. And holes let water in. Enough water, and the boat eventually sinks.

As the European Union advances the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the expectations placed on global supply chains are shifting in a fundamental way. Companies are no longer being assessed solely on whether due diligence processes exist, but on whether they can demonstrate that risks are being effectively identified, mitigated, and monitored in practice.

Fashion and textile supply chains are at a crossroads. Sustainability is no longer aspirational—it is regulated, scrutinized, and increasingly enforceable. Yet many sustainability and origin claims are still built on trust, paperwork, and good intentions rather than verifiable evidence.

That approach is no longer holding up.

Companies must answer, with credible, verifiable evidence, the question regulators, customs officials and consumers will ask: ‘How do you know your claim is true?’  

At GenuTrace, we sort real sustainability from greenwashing in apparel and textiles by asking one simple question: If you claim it, can you prove it? In an environment of heightened scrutiny—from the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in the United States to expanding EU regulations on forced labor, deforestation and product transparency—claims around cotton origin, recycled fibers and responsible sourcing must be supported by verifiable evidence.

As Germany becomes one of the first EU member states to enforce sweeping anti-greenwashing rules and global brands continue to face enforcement under the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), GenuTrace and Kinset today announced a collaboration designed to help companies prove cotton origin claims with evidence that can withstand regulatory scrutiny.

The partnership comes as Germany begins enforcing new anti-greenwashing measures and global brands encounter increased scrutiny under the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).

GenuTrace and Kinset have announced a partnership aimed at helping companies substantiate their cotton origin claims with verifiable evidence suitable for regulatory review.

Jangoulun Singsit February 11, 2026

With forced-labour enforcement in the US and anti-greenwashing rules in Europe, brands are shifting from “we source responsibly” to “here is the evidence.”