Gone are the days when the fashion industry could obscure a garment’s identifying information. Last year, brands such as Matthew Williams’ luxury label Alyx and Ralph Lauren turned to digital innovation, namely digital identities, to align with future priorities.
“Sustainable sourcing,” “transparency” and “traceability” reigned as core priorities in an October sourcing report from McKinsey & Co., and it’s upping the desire for plug-and-play technology solutions that integrate with existing infrastructure.
“There’s a lot to be excited about in the next five years. I’m most excited to see the convergence of two prominent themes in the fashion industry: digital and sustainability,” said Mike Colarossi, vice president of product line management, innovation and sustainability at Avery Dennison.
“In a world in which every garment’s creation comes with a unique digital ID, we will be able to help shape the future of sustainability across the industry. For example, eliminating waste through better supply chain and inventory planning or enabling transparency (of raw materials, labor, etc.) across the supply chain,” said Colarossi.
Further, Colarossi points to the potential for customized consumer experiences and advantages to all stakeholders in closing the loop on a garment’s end of life — be it recycle, upcycle or resale.
Colarossi works specifically on
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