Haelixa Launches DNA-Based Authentication Service for Luxury Goods

Haelixa has introduced a DNA-based Authenticity Service designed to provide luxury brands with product-level verification against counterfeiting and fraudulent activity. The system embeds unique DNA markers into materials, allowing rapid authentication through a laboratory-based swab test.

Brands currently lack consistent proof of material integrity across production and distribution networks. According to OECD analysis, counterfeiting accounts for an estimated $250 billion in annual losses across the global luxury sector. In Switzerland, the watch industry is estimated to lose $1.88 billion each year due to counterfeit products.

The system developed by Haelixa integrates a nano-sized, brand-specific DNA marker directly into product materials. The marker is described as invisible and permanent and is designed to resist removal, copying, or substitution. It remains present throughout the product lifecycle, including resale, repair, and returns.

Authentication is carried out using a swab and qPCR test, which produces a binary result within 30 minutes. The process is intended for use by retailers, service centres, and brand protection teams. The company said compact and customised devices allow global deployment without specialist training, enabling on-site verification.

The service is intended for high-value goods such as watches, jewellery, and leather accessories. Haelixa stated that the marking process can be incorporated into existing production workflows, leaves no visible residue, and does not affect product quality. Each physical marker can be used alongside Digital Product Passports and NFC systems, combining physical and digital forms of verification.

Patrick, CEO of Haelixa, said: “Luxury is built on trust. Today authenticity must be proven repeatedly. By embedding DNA directly into the product, we provide brands with scientific proof they can trust throughout the entire product lifecycle and beyond.”

Klemens Link, Haelixa’s Director of Anti-counterfeiting and Brand Protection, added: “Counterfeiting is no longer peripheral. It enters through everyday operations. A simple test gives brands, and their customers, a definitive answer in minutes and restores control at scale.”

The company positions the service as infrastructure rather than a label, stating that embedded DNA markers provide durable forensic proof in cases where documentation and external tags are insufficient.