Just because you see someone wearing clothing or accessories with a splashy designer logo, doesn't mean they are wearing the real deal. A report from 2009 stated that the business of counterfeiting designer goods generates $600 billion dollars a year! While that number is difficult to substantiate, it's clear that fake handbags and the like are big business across the globe. But high-end brands are coming up with new ways to take back some that cash - or at least control brand integrity. According to reports, some brands can now use actual DNA to mark their products and ensure authenticity.

New York-based company Applied DNA Sciences has announced that it will be supplying a luxury brand with DNA markers. The technology uses botanic DNA, which is mixed into the dyes, fabrics, or glue used in manufacturing. The end result is that each product has its own unique genetic stamp, which cannot be duplicated. Though the company declined to identify which brand will be using their markers, they did say that their client is headquartered in Europe and encompasses several product lines. And with a 5-year agreement on the books, the mystery brand clearly means to make the system a significant part of their future plans.

"Proof of authenticity is a central tenet of brand integrity, and there is no better proof than DNA," said Applied DNA president and chief executive James Hayward in a release.

While the identity of the participating brand is a mystery, there are some obvious guesses that one could make. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel are among the most commonly faked brands there are. And since each has a vested interested in pricing handbags at the cost of a car, one of these might very well be the buyer of the impressive technology.