On World Rainforest Day (22 June), Fashion for Good celebrated the successful completion of the Viscose Traceability Pilot, a consortium project with Fashion for Good partners BESTSELLER and Kering, to trace sustainable viscose in garments using innovator TextileGenesis’ blockchain tracing solution.
With an estimated 30 per cent of viscose sourced from endangered forests, the validation of TextileGenesis’ solution is an important step towards transparency in the value chain – ensuring fibres originate from renewable sources.
Proving the flexibility, interoperability, as well as scalability of the TextileGenesis platform, has prompted participating brands to explore further implementation of the technology, expanding the scope for viscose to also include other fibres.
Three key dimensions were determined to be proof points against which to measure the success of the TextileGenesis platform and the pilot: flexibility, interoperability and scalability.
The TextileGenesis platform uses Fibercoins as their blockchain-based digital tokens, which provide a ‘digital twin’ for sustainable fibres. Once a fibre is produced, every kilogram of that fibre is represented in the platform by one Fibercoin.
Supply chain players can transfer these digital coins in parallel to the production of textile products as they move through the supply chain.
As part of this pilot, the unique physical traceability techniques used by Lenzing and ENKA were incorporated onto the platform and, for the first time ever, different physical traceability techniques were integrated in a single platform at the garment-level.
Simultaneously on-boarding the 25 suppliers in a short span of four to six weeks, they were able to independently use the system after a single training session – indicating the scalability of the platform in terms of rapid on-boarding of suppliers and ease of use.
Due to the success of this pilot, the TextileGenesis platform and solution will be scaled with Fashion for Good partners beyond viscose to include other sustainable fibres such as organic cotton and recycled polyester.
Lenzing and Tangshan will continue to be engaged in the scaling phase of these pilots. This roadmap will also leverage TextileGenesis’ partnership with Textile Exchange, whom they are supporting to digitise traceability in their certifications, including recycled polyester, responsible wool or down, and later organic cotton.
“Fashion for Good initiates projects such as the Viscose Traceability Pilot to share knowledge and learnings attained in critical challenge areas with the entire industry. Specifically, we want to inspire all players, innovators, suppliers and brands to work towards and implement changes with the potential to shift the needle. We’re calling for industry-wide collaboration to embed and build on traceability solutions within the value chain, and ensure the protection of natural resources and forests,” said Katrin Ley, MD, Fashion for Good.
