Avery Dennison has acquired TexTrace, a technology developer specialising in custom-made woven and knitted RFID products that can be sewn onto or inserted into garments.
TexTrace was formerly a subsidiary of Jakob Müller Holding, one of the leading Swiss OEMs for the textile industry, and is located in Frick, Switzerland.
The acquisition includes ownership of TexTrace’s portfolio of intellectual property and its employees that will continue to be based in Frick, Switzerland, enabling Avery Dennison to continue to innovate and drive adoption within the apparel sector and unlock opportunities in non-apparel segments.
The technology developed by TexTrace provides the opportunity to fully integrate RFID into garments. Brand labels with built-in RFID are an all-in-one technology for product branding, brand and theft protection, product availability, consumer interaction and enhanced convenience, such as self-checkout.
In the future, it could offer unprecedented supplier and materials information to enable the circular economy through reccommerce and recycling, providing the opportunity to gain insights into the true carbon footprint of the garment.
Francisco Melo, Vice President and General Manager of Avery Dennison Smartrac, commented: “This is an exciting acquisition for Avery Dennison, expanding our digital ID portfolio to offer integrated RFID solutions for the apparel industry. The innovative woven and knitted RFID products that TexTrace has developed will add significant value to the traditional way the apparel and retail sector uses RFID, creating the opportunity for a more sustainable and intelligent future where digital IDs can live with the life of the garment.”
Stephan Bühler, Co-Owner of Jakob Müller Holding and previous CEO of TexTrace AG, added: “This step is a great opportunity and a groundbreaking decision for the future of TexTrace AG. We are proud of what the start-up has achieved in its 10-year company history, and we are very pleased that we can now enable it to take the next step in its progression. This comes at the right time with the right partner.”
