Fibarcode Secures Funding to Scale Photonic Fibre

Fibarcode, a materials science startup spun out of the University of Michigan, has secured a $1.5 million Fast-Track grant from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to advance its work on textile labelling for authentication, traceability and recycling.

Founded in 2024 by materials scientist Dr Brian Iezzi, the company is creating a system that integrates optical barcodes directly into fabric using specialised photonic fibres. Instead of attaching labels or tags that can be removed, the identifying information becomes an inherent part of the textile itself.

The technology emerged from research at the University of Michigan, where Iezzi worked with Prof Max Shtein to develop fibres capable of producing distinct optical signatures. The innovation arrives at a time when textile waste has become a major environmental concern. Around 92 million tonnes of clothing and textiles are discarded globally each year, yet less than 15% is recycled.