Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070) is adding traceability to more products, introducing a new collection of under-$10 items that all have Aware technology embedded into them.

The Lawrence, MA-based company said it’s adding Aware tracers to the recycled cotton products – which include tote bags, a pouch and an apron – to show that “affordability and sustainability can coexist seamlessly.” The Aware transparency technology, accessible by scanning the QR code on the hangtag, allows consumers to trace the entire journey of the sustainable components used in each product.

Gemline (asi/56070) has launched a new line of affordable products using Aware tracer technology, including this recycled cotton tote (102033).

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“At Gemline, we firmly believe that sustainability should not be a luxury, but an accessible choice for all,” said Frank Carpenito, president and CEO of Gemline. “The integration of Aware’s state-of-the-art technology in products sold for under $10 sets a new industry precedent for affordable eco-conscious options and serves as a perfect complement to the large number and variety of under-$10 products we have added to our line over the past 12 months.”

He adds that the technology will empower distributors to offer “a unique value proposition to their end-customers” and more easily transition their own clients “from conventional to sustainable products without adversely impacting budgets.”

Aware, a Dutch company founded by two sustainable fashion experts, offers what it calls the world’s first hybrid traceability technology, which combines physical tracers with a public blockchain to create a virtual passport that authenticates sustainable materials throughout the production process. Aware’s digital product passport (DPP) relies on primary data, since all information is shared and validated by each maker in the supply chain. Materials get a physical tracer embedded into any type of raw material at the source. To ensure that information can’t be tampered with, the data is also put on the public blockchain, offering full transparency from fiber to consumer, according to Aware. It’s an effort, Aware said, to make greenwashing a thing of the past.

“Our collaboration with Gemline, a company deeply committed to sustainability, is truly thrilling,” said Koen Warmerdam, co-founder and brand director of Aware. “Consumers today not only seek total transparency in the supply chain but also affordability in sustainable choices. Our technology delivers exactly that – the entire supply chain becomes transparent, offering reliable information directly from the primary source, and Gemline ensures that this eco-conscious journey remains accessible to all.”

Gemline first introduced Aware technology to its products in August 2023, incorporating digital product passports into its MiiR Olympus collection of bags.

Founded in 1958, Gemline ranked 12^th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry, with reported 2022 North American promotional product revenue of $151 million.

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