Are Fake Handbags Going Extinct? This Technology Makes It Possible

Even if you're a total expert on the Louis Vuitton linings and Chanel hardware, it can still be difficult to spot a fake handbag. So, the best way to keep track of the counterfeit goods that flood e-commerce sites and, yes, Canal Street? Make branding part of a carryall's DNA. Literally.

This is the technology currently in the works by Juan Hinestroza, a Cornell textile scientist, as well as Dr. Ken Kuno of the University of Notre Dame. “You can make signatures by coating individual cotton fibers [with nanoparticles of metal], like a barcode,” Kuno told Popular Science, explaining how their new marking system will only be trackable by metallic detectors. While the scientists have claimed that they're currently working with popular handbag brands, they haven't revealed which ones in particular.

Though there are other, similar DNA-like systems in place, this newest one also claims to be the easiest to use. Click over to read more about the new invention that could preserve the integrity of our favorite fashion labels forever. For real. (Popular Science)