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The First Wool Garments with Traceability Data in a QR Code Released

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Filippa K is now releasing its first wool garments equipped with next generation QR codes that contain traceability data from farm to final garment. The wool products and the technical solution are the result of The Fiber Traceability Initiative, which aims at a sustainable, traceable, and circular value chain. The initiative is driven by Axfoundation, Filippa K, GS1 Sweden, and VirtualRouteZ.

The Fiber Traceability Initiative has developed a beta version of a traceability solution where a QR code powered by GS1 standards is added on the wool garments. 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.

In addition to making it possible for the customer to make 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.

The technical solution uses GS1 standards to create a unified, competition-neutral, and global framework for product identification and labeling, ensuring interoperability between systems. The next generation of QR codes added on the wool garments provides access to the garment's traceability data. When the customer scans the QR code, 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.

The solution is now being used on wool garments, but The Fiber Traceability Initiative sees potential in including more brands, suppliers, industries, and even broadening the solution to more materials.

- The technical solution utilizes GS1 standards to create a unified, competition-neutral, and global framework for product identification and labeling, ensuring interoperability between systems. The Fiber Traceability initiative collaborates 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.

To enable easy collection and sharing of data along the value chain, VirtualRouteZ's digital platform is used.

- 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 stitches it all together into business intelligence and a reporting dashboard for each user, explains Heinrich Schultz, founder and CEO of VirtualRouteZ.

On September 12, Filippa K releases its Fall/Winter 2024 collection, where twelve wool garments have been developed within the framework of The Fiber Traceability Initiative. When shopping in person or online, customers can read about the product's origins, all the way down to the farm where the wool comes from. Additionally, design details, care, and repair advice are provided to further encourage sustainable choices and, in the long run, circularity.

- We are happy to 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 initiative is now opening up for more brands to participate in The Fiber Traceability Initiative to drive collective efforts for increased transparency and sustainability.

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Axfoundation is an independent, non-profit organization working practically and concretely towards building a sustainable society. Axfoundation develops practical solutions to complex sustainability challenges within Future Food and Future Materials. Believing strongly in business as a driving force for change and in broad collaboration between relevant actors in society, Axfoundation collaborates with over 300 partners across sectors and industries. Together, the organization tackles local and global sustainability challenges based on practical issues related to the things we buy, the food we eat and the resources we use.

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future materials The Fiber Traceability Initiative

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