How Seidensticker Brings its Multi-Tier Supply Chain into View with Retraced

Their values-driven Corporate Responsibility (CR) initiative has grown into a strategic necessity. “We were doing well with our direct suppliers,” says Larissa Forntheil, Seidensticker’s CR Manager. “But we saw that our existing system couldn’t keep up with what’s now expected by customers, regulators, and our own teams.” 

The tipping point? Growing requirements for traceability and rising pressure to document multi-tier supplier networks, especially when certifications and compliance standards demanded clarity across the entire chain of custody.

Before Retraced, Seidensticker used an in-house platform connected to their ERP system for onboarding and managing direct suppliers. It worked well up to a point but reached its limit with regard to exploring the deeper supply chain and sub-suppleirs. “The tool focused on those we had contracts with. But when we needed to go further, to subcontractors, mills, or dye-houses, we could not reach the progress we expected,” says Forntheil. 

Certifications like Oeko-Tex Standard 100 require documentation of every supplier involved in producing a fabric, and that meant going deeper into Tier 2 and 3. Seidensticker saw that unless they could manage these tiers efficiently, they’d risk failing to meet market expectations. 

Instead of expanding their internal system or stringing together Excel workarounds, Seidensticker looked for a solution that could scale with their needs. Retraced stood out for three key reasons: 

• A collaborative, networked approach: Suppliers manage and share their own data, reducing redundant effort across the value chain. 
• Flexibility across teams and tiers: CR, sourcing, and procurement can all access the same supply chain view. 
• Stronger partner support: Seidensticker works closely with Retraced’s team on roadmap planning, supplier activation, and onboarding strategies. 

In the first year with Retraced, Seidensticker built out a network of nearly 300suppliers, more than quadrupling visibility beyond Tier 1. That includes a growing number of Tier 3 subcontractors such as traders, finishers, and mills.

• Certificate and audit management 
• Collection supplier confirmations of purchasing conditions via questionnaires 
• Supply chain mapping from sourcing to subcontractors 
• Sharing supply chain data with customers requesting traceability

Rather than rolling out everything at once, Seidensticker took a modular approach. They began by consolidating all certificates into Retraced, then added questionnaires to confirm purchasing terms – which served as a powerful activation tool. 

“When we asked suppliers to confirm purchasing conditions through Retraced, it worked better than expected,” says Forntheil. “Everyone had to log in. That gave us a strong boost in supplier activation.” 

They also preload supplier profiles before onboarding, making it easier for factories to get started without uploading everything themselves. “No one lands in an empty profile. That helps with adoption,” she adds. 

A local CR manager in Bangladesh provides direct supplier support, offering hands-on training and acting as a go-to contact for questions. “That personal support made a huge difference. The suppliers picked it up much faster,” says Forntheil. 

Retraced has helped Seidensticker move from static files to collaborative workflows. The result: 

• Fewer Excel lists and email loops 
• A single source of truth for audits and certificates 
• Easier collaboration between CR, buying, and sourcing 
• Faster responses to customer and platform requests 
• More visibility into who’s actually involved in production 

Forntheil puts it simply: “We already had transparency goals. Retraced helped us actually put them into practice across teams and tiers.” 

Looking ahead, Seidensticker is planning to pilot supplier-led supply chain mapping, starting with a small group of vendors. “We want to go from static information to something that gets updated regularly,” says Forntheil. 

Rather than forcing every supplier into deep tracing workflows immediately, Seidensticker is exploring a hybrid approach, combining mapping with selective PO tracing to validate key segments. 

Seidensticker didn’t abandon what was working. They built on it. The in-house tools and strong CR foundation gave them a great starting point. But when transparency demands outgrew their systems, they made a thoughtful shift to a partner who could scale with them. 

If you’re managing your supply chain with spreadsheets, in-house tools, and high ambitions – Seidensticker’s journey offers a practical path forward. 

“With Retraced, we finally have a platform where our data works for us, not the other way around,” says Larissa Forntheil. 

Photo credit: ©Seidensticker