According to the State of Fashion: Technology report from BoF and McKinsey & Co, more than 50% of fashion decision makers say traceability is a top five factor for reducing supply chain emissions. It is an essential tool for meeting consumer and shareholder expectations regarding improved sustainability efforts.
The technology platform FibreTrace provides real-time verification of products as they move through global supply chains.
FibreTrace works with brands, manufacturers, farmers and raw fiber producers to connect the supply chain. The company partnered with fashion brand Reformation to launch its first core product, FibreTrace Verified, in March 2021. Today, the technology is used by 10 brands, including Reformation and 7 For All Mankind, and his 60+ suppliers of cotton, recycled polyester and viscose. , and soon, wool and leather.
FibreTrace Verified combines digital traceability with physical technology, applying non-toxic luminescent pigments to the original fibers. Pigments are immortal throughout the processing cycle and can be read and traced through hardware devices at every stage of the supply chain. Each audit is recorded on the blockchain, providing AI-powered insights for your business. Cotton bearing the FibreTrace mark is consequently permitted by US customs and import regulations.
While fashion companies are expected to invest more in technology solutions, the State of Fashion: Technology report finds that supply chain transparency and traceability solutions will lead to investments in virtual sampling, capacity planning, and virtual fabric libraries. I made it clear that I was lagging behind as a priority.
As a solution, FibreTrace has developed a second product this year, FibreTrace Mapped. It’s a digital-only solution that maps the global textile supply chain from textile to retail, and decided to give brands and manufacturers free access to the tool. Ability to increase supply chain transparency.
After one year, free access is limited to 500 digital audits per year. Businesses operating below this threshold will continue to have free access, but larger businesses will be charged US$2,640 annually.
BoF sat down with FibreTrace CEO Shannon Mercer to learn more about how the technology works, the data and analytics available to businesses, and the next steps for FibreTrace technology.
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Why is traceability and transparency important in the textile industry?
SM: Changes in consumer behavior and legislation over the last 5-10 years have been major drivers of the widespread adoption of traceability and transparency. Europe and the US now have regulatory frameworks, and traceability and transparency have gone from being nice to have to being a must.
What technical solutions does FibreTrace offer?
SM: There are two solutions, FibreTrace Verified and FibreTrace Mapped.
FibreTrace Mapped is a new digital chain of custody that tracks and maps product certificates, purchase orders, shipping documents, etc., records their processes using blockchain, and provides an irrefutable ledger of what happens in the supply chain. Custody. FibreTrace Mapped also provides brands with the opportunity to share supply chain details with end consumers.
We are releasing version 1 of Mapped for free to industries worldwide. Over the next 12-24 months, we will continue to enhance the platform with product templates, reporting tools, and extensions.
FibreTrace Verified uses a patented physical tracking system to audit and verify optical fibers as they travel through the supply chain. Each fiber has different uses and each fiber type has unique characteristics. For example, U.S. cotton has different characteristics than Australian cotton, and recycled polyester has different characteristics from virgin polyester. Then, using a proprietary handheld scanner that acts as a digital audit, we physically verify the fiber in real time to confirm its provenance and ensure there are no unauthorized blends.
How is technology shared across the supply chain?
SM: To use FibreTrace Mapped, simply register on the platform and upload your company details and products. After creating a product, the platform supplies invites the next person in her chain. This person will privately receive her trace her order notification and accept that order. I think that passing the baton to the next person until the product is completed is like a relay race.
How can Brand Partners effectively leverage your products and services?
SM: When it comes to adoption, adoption is difficult because there are many overlapping factors in customer participation. Perceived cost, implementation, onboarding, data security, it’s all there.
Dividing this into FibreTrace Verified and FibreTrace Mapped places the onus on brands to decide where they need a digital chain of custody and where they need physical traceability. This will enable the adoption of traceability into the sector, give us the opportunity to choose which suppliers to partner with, and allow us to scale from the platform.
The more brands, manufacturers and suppliers that adopt traceability, the more pressure there is on all players for industry-wide transparency standards.
Users will first be able to adopt the platform digitally via FibreTrace Mapped, enabling greater transparency across the supply chain. You will then have the opportunity to add physical fiber verification using FibreTrace Verified.
Why are you offering the FibreTrace Mapped service for free?
SM: The industry talks about traceability, but when you look at adoption across all brands and textiles at scale, it’s not moving fast enough. The more brands, manufacturers and suppliers that adopt traceability, the more pressure there is on all players for industry-wide transparency standards.
Providing the service for free removes barriers to entry. If you can get people on your platform and show them the benefits of using it, it will make adoption across the sector much easier. We are trying to make a difference. This is why we offer an ongoing free option beyond the first year of implementation, making it reasonable for small businesses to take the first step towards transparency.
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From a manufacturing perspective, we are starting to see preferential treatment for brands adopting traceability technology as it makes it easier to build supply chains. So there is definitely an opportunity for farms and manufacturers to engage more deeply with their brands, differentiate themselves and drive premiums.
What are AI-powered insights and how can they help your business?
SM: As data comes in, you can start comparing information and extract insights that can better inform your business.
The first version of FibreTrace Mapped includes a global map showing the location of supply chain partners, a timeline of digital audits matched to adding data or uploading certificates, and a simple list view of the products in the supply chain. Comes with a reporting mechanism.
Released in the next 12 months, version 2 will add product templates and advanced reporting capabilities. These are built on input from participating brands and manufacturing partners.
One misconception is that traceability is a cost to business. I totally disagree with that. From a compliance standpoint, these systems are in place, removing the need for some types of certification as the technology takes over.
What’s Next for FibreTrace?
SM: This year, we are using FibreTrace Verified to bring leather, wool, linen, hemp, and responsible products to market in hopes of providing physical traceability to all man-made and natural fibers. It is working.
From a technology perspective, we will continue to support the B2B part, but we will also build the consumer component. This allows brands to educate consumers and demonstrate their commitment to traceability and transparency. It’s an important factor for us.
Greenwashing has eroded consumer confidence in what is actually printed on the label. Is it real? So having these transparency solution drivers and especially traceability bridging the physical and digital can help brands increase consumer trust. Not a cost at all, I would argue. It’s actually an opportunity.
This is a sponsorship feature paid for by FibreTrace as part of the BoF partnership.
