Three sustainability pioneers in fashion industry – Lenzing, ArmedAngels and Schneider – have collaborated with TextileGenesis, a blockchain-enabled digital transparency platform for creating a fibre-to-retail traceability pilot.
This includes 45 garment styles containing LENZING™ ECOVERO™ specialty viscose fibres or AUTHENTICO® organic wool, from supply chains spanning six countries.
The collaboration came to light as more than 100 fashion brands have pledged a target of 100 per cent sustainable fibre by 2025; however, only less than 5 per cent can trace the origin of their textile inputs for complete sustainable credentials.
Lenzing, ArmedAngels and Schneider are leveraging TextileGenesis Fibercoin technology to issue digital blockchain ‘assets’ (or tokens) to the physical shipments of Lenzing Ecovero and Authentico fibres.
The use of these digital tokens offer a unique ‘fingerprint’ and authentication mechanism for eliminating any adulteration across the entire textile value chain and offers a secure digital chain of custody.
“Cooperating with TextileGenesis and conducting two successful real-time blockchain-based traceability projects showed us that it is not only about sustainability, fraud protection, quantification and accountability, but also a true return on investment. Plus, the platform provides a true global language for supply chain tracking,” shared Martin Hoefler, CEO and founder of ArmedAngels.
The idea of the pilot was to show that traceability and sustainability are interconnected and helps in complete visibility of the sustainable practices.
The combination of Lenzing Ecovero and TextileGenesis supply chain traceability makes the industry most comprehensive fibre assurance mechanism that offers brands the complete traceability and transparency of the Lenzing’s sustainable fibres.
Lenzing also plans to roll out TextileGenesis globally for its Tencel and Lenzing Ecovero fibres portfolio in Q4 2020.
Schneider Group, industry’s leading wool tops producer, through the pilot has demonstrated a complete farm-to-retail traceability for its Authentico wool programme.
The collaboration offers the brand with complete visibility of the Authentico wool giving the brands and consumers the sustainability assurance of the product that they pay for.
