Implement a system of traceability of finished materials to input materials
Version 1 - Last updated
24 Sep 2025
Facilities are required to implement a system of traceability that clearly links finished material to its corresponding input materials and their respective material suppliers.
The facility should:
- Facilities should maintain written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) describing the traceability process. These procedures should clearly define how input material data is captured, recorded and linked with end products.
- The facility should use the MIL to record all relevant information about input materials, including:
- Material type (e.g. polyester, cotton, viscose)
- Material form (e.g. yarn, fabric)
- Supplier details
- The ZDHC MIL should be updated monthly and include batch/lot information linking to the finished product.
- Facilities can utilise existing ERP systems as a best practice to automate and digitise traceability.
- These systems enable:
- Linking material batch numbers with finished materials.
- Tracking of input material suppliers for each finished product.
- Alternatively, physical tracking tools like barcodes or QR codes can be used on material lots and finished products. These codes should be scannable and linked to traceability data stored in the ERP or local systems.