Not So Fast, Fashion!

The January sales are over for another year. And it’s quite probable that most of us succumbed and bought something highly unsuitable simply because it was so cheap, which will now sit unloved before making its inevitable journey to the landfill site. It’s fast-fashion, and despite our best intentions, it seems to be here to stay. But what if we would at least like to know more about what exactly we are buying in order to make better choices?

The answer is that it is not that easy. For instance, when you see a pullover the only information you will usually get is the country of origin, the mix of materials, and the price. There is usually no information regarding the provenance of the materials used or a guarantee that the pullover has not been produced using exploitative labour practices.

Clothing production has almost doubled since 2000 and, in addition to being a major contributor to global pollution, the truth is that today’s fast-fashion often fuels unethical working conditions and even child labor. Research tells us that this is a very real issue. The International Labour Organisation estimates that 170 children are engaged in child labour, while millions of adult employees are working in inhumane conditions million for less than USD 80 a month. And the fashion industry is infamous for having long and complex supply chains, which makes it much easier for illegal or unscrupulous activities to go undetected.

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Clearly, brands often do not have a clear picture of the entire manufacturing process. Some work with many different partners and may be genuinely in the dark about the provenience of materials or work practices. This lack of transparency helps fuel unsustainable practices and unethical working conditions.

“Companies that sell their products in Europe and the US have no clue where the textiles come from. Maybe they know their first supplier and there are codes of conduct in place, but further down the chain in the lower tiers it is very difficult to understand where the cotton comes from.” according to the UK’s The Guardian.

And that is where blockchain comes in. It can help brands eliminate inhumane labour practices from their supply chains and ensure the provenance of all materials used is clear and above board.

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Consumers driving change

As consumers, we can drive change for the better. A recent report found that “52% of consumers want the fashion industry to follow more sustainable practices”, and want a more transparent, caring, and sustainable industry. And by translating this into purchasing choices, the industry will have little choice but to respond. So, change is in our hands, and the encouraging news is that a number of companies are already leading the way, employing blockchain technology to ensure everything is justifiably in order. Here are just a few examples.

• Provenance gives its consumers as much information as possible using a QR code or NFC chip, which can be scanned to show the item´s journey and impact.
• Retraced , a German-based firm, aims to make the supply chain more transparent and help consumers make more informed decisions. They seek to enable “brands to unlock relevant supply chain information and share their verified sustainability and ethical efforts with consumers.” They partner with other brands who share their philosophy, like shoemakers Cano, which aims to connect fashion buyers and small scale producers. Every pair of shoes has an NFC tag incorporated so that “every artisan that has been working on a certain pair of shoes can put his or her data on this chip” allowing consumers to see the entire story of the product. We had the pleasure to interview the founders of Retraced and Cano. Read our chat here.
• VeChain: founded by former Louis Vuitton CIO Sunny Lu, works with many brands to guarantee customers access to detailed information about products, such as their origin, material provenance, supplier, etc. They aim to be “transparent”, “seamless”, and “data-driven”.

The complexity of the supply chain means that establishing immutable proof of provenance, transparency and trust are crucial. And blockchain has a role to play. It clearly has the potential to clean up the darker corners of the industry by shining a light on global supply chains and employment practices so that we can not only look good in the clothes we buy but feel good too. At THE RELEVANCE HOUSE, we help innovative emerging technology firms build a brand which expresses their values so that people can see the relevance of their project.

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Photo credits:

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash