With Earth Day commencing this Thursday (April 22nd), British Vogue’s annual #GetYourGreens week shines a light on sustainability in the fashion industry and how that can be implemented. One of the ways we are seeing this is via the introduction of blockchain technology in the design process; this gives consumers access to information such as the source of raw materials, how they were grown, where it was stored and how many items were made by scanning a QR code.
Since the introduction of this technology in 2018 by Danish designer Martine Jarlgaard, blockchaining has been used to pioneer a new age of accountability and transparency within the fashion industry alongside the recent rise of social-media activists campaigning for brands to take responsibility for exploitative practices.
Recent research from the Fashion Revolution has highlighted that only 31% of the top 62 surveyed global retailers disclose part of their garment production sites. However, a 2020 study by the IBM Institute for Business Value found that 77% of consumers surveyed said sustainability is important to them whilst 57% of consumers would be willing to change their buying habits to reduce any negative impact on the environment.
One of the companies spearheading this technological advancement is TextileGenesis, a traceability platform built for the apparel ecosystem. The founder, Amit Guatam, states that “the textile industry is one of the most fragmented industries on the planet” noting that the supply chain for a simple t-shirt can involve seven different manufacturing stages across multiple countries.
TextileGenesis uses blockchain technology to create a permanent record of every stage of production via digital tokens, known as fibre coins, to provide a time-stamped record of the flow of physical products through the logistical network. Once logged, tokens cannot be altered, giving everyone across the supply chain certainty that the information is true.
Since the company’s launch in 2019, they have provided their tech to over 120 customers and partners in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan: home to manufacturing sites for big-name brands such as H&M, Primark, and Zara. Introducing this technology in these spaces can validate sustainability claims made by brands and provide authentic products to consumers that benefit the planet.
How would you feel about QR codes being introduced into your everyday retail experience?
Written by Romone Clarke, InZone Plug (Fashion / Influencers)