Axfoundation, Filippa K, GS1 Sweden, and VirtualRouteZ stand behind The Fiber Traceability Initiative, which has developed a beta version of a traceability solution. It uses a QR code powered by GS1 standards — chosen to create a unified, competition-neutral, and global framework for product identification and labelling, ensuring interoperability between systems — that is added on the wool garments to provide access to the garment’s traceability data. With a simple scan using a mobile phone, the customer receives information about the garment’s production journey and sustainability data, from raw material to finished product, directly on their screen. When the QR code is scanned, a request is sent to a resolver that identifies which data source the product’s specific data can be retrieved from. The data is fetched and validated, then appears on the mobile screen via APIs, giving the customer a full overview of the garment’s journey.
In addition to making it possible for the customer to make more sustainable choices, the solution makes it easier for brands and suppliers to comply with upcoming EU regulations. The textile industry is one of the first industries to meet the requirements for digital product passports, traceability, and transparency.
— The sustainability challenges in the fashion industry are too complex for any brand to solve alone. By bringing together actors across the entire value chain, we are laying the foundation for new business models and a circular economy, says Stina Behrens, Project Manager within Future Materials at Axfoundation.
VirtualRouteZ’s digital platform is used to enable easy collection and sharing of data along the value chain.
— The Fiber Traceability Initiative is on a journey towards fully digitized value chains with end-to-end visibility. Our value chain integration model and digital platform stitch it all together into business intelligence and a reporting dashboard for each user, the company’s founder and CEO Heinrich Schultz explains.
Last week, Filippa K released its Fall/Winter 2024 collection, where twelve wool garments have been developed within the framework of The Fiber Traceability Initiative. Not only can customers follow the entire garment journey but design details, care, repair advice, and second life solutions are also provided to highlight circularity in fashion.
— We enable our customers to access traceable wool garments with recommendations that increase the garment’s lifespan. This is just the beginning of a journey toward more sustainable production and consumption, says Anna Berne, Vice President of Product and Sustainability at Filippa K.
The solution is now being used on wool garments, but The Fiber Traceability Initiative is now opening up for more brands, suppliers, and industries, and broadening the solution to more materials.
— We collaborate with multiple stakeholders and countries, increasing the need for data to be exchanged in line with global standards, says David Almroth, Head of Expansion at GS1 Sweden.
