Is Blockchain Technology the Future of Fashion?
- Kate Brosnan
- Sep 10, 2018
- 3 min read
After reading the article[1] posted on Forbes by Rachel Arthur, I learned a little more about blockchain technology. I think this could be a huge change for the fashion industry. Fashion used to be about quality and craftsmanship and luxury brands still value that quality, however, fast fashion companies don’t. Companies like Zara, H&M, and Forever21 focus on getting the newest trends in their stores as fast as possible. They also stand out because of their low prices. Who doesn’t want to wear what the celebrities are wearing for $40 max? Consumers have changed their views over the years and value low price, low quality clothing over paying a lot of money on one item. But that has to change and we have to force the consumers to see why. The Earth is in trouble and throwing clothing away in a landfill like it’s leftover pizza isn’t helping. Sustainability and focusing on the environment is a huge part of the fashion industry and some companies ignore that fact for the profit. But that’s why blockchain technology is huge. This might be able to change the way consumers think and buy. We should want to know where our clothing comes from. We should want to know how it’s made. Fashion is founded on craftsmanship and that’s something we should still value. Clothing shouldn’t be some product you pick up at the store and throw away in six months. Fashion is so much more than fabric we wear. It represents who we are.
Blockchain technology can show us where the fibers came from and how they were made. According to the Forbes article1, each garment will have a unique digital code that will show consumers every process used in order to make that “wool sweater”. It will show consumers every place it has been and who manufactured it. This also gives that piece of clothing a more personal touch. When we go shopping, all we know is where we bought it. If you look at the tag you know where it was made. But what about everything before that and all the little steps in between? Provenance[2] is a website and an app that can potentially change the fashion industry as we know it. When you’re shopping, you will scan a code and it will show you a detailed supply chain. It will show where the fibers come from, and who physically made the garment.
Fast fashion may be cheap but at what cost? Clothing manufacturers pay their workers low rates; make them work long hard hours, and in unsafe work environments. As consumers, we need to care about where the clothes we wear come from and Provenance might be the solution.
In the article, “What can Blockchain Technology Do for the Fashion Industry” by Jeff Greene and Anne Marie Longobucco[3], the largest scale-use of this technology is by Alibaba. They use block-chain technology to track products. Will Amazon be the next company to pick up on this technology? As for the negative aspects of Blockchain technology, I think it could be a very positive and innocent solution, however, Alibaba has already started using this blockchain technology and for the wrong reasons. I think large companies like Alibaba and Amazon will use it to benefit their own company. They will use it to track the garment but consumers will continue to ignore where the product is coming from.
[1] Arthur, R. (2017, MY 24). From Farm To Finished Garment: Blockchain is Aiding This Fashion Collection With Transparency. Retrieved from
[2] Blockchain: The solution for supply chain transparency. (2015, November 21). Retrieved from https://www.provenance.org/whitepaper
[3] (2018, July 23). What Can Blockchain Technology Do for the Fashion Industry? Retrieved from https://fashnerd.com/2018/04/blockchain-technology-fashion-tech-industry/
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