When people shopped for clothes in the past, they were probably not thinking much about where the fabric came from. Whether it was a gift, or you were treating yourself, you were probably more concerned about finding the right outfit. However, people are starting to ask the question "where is our clothing coming from, and what happens while it's made?" . Transparency in the fashion industry is becoming a hot issue, and that is why Martine Jarlgaard is using Blockchain technology to improve the industry and shopping.

What is BlockChain Technology?

Blockchain technology is a public ledger of the popular online currency Bitcoin. Jarlgaard has collaborated with Provenance (a Blockchain company) and there is now the ability to track the preliminary stages to the supply chain and then the final product. Each step is recorded, and it creates a digital history of the information. That is why designers such as Martine Jarlgaard launched a program that uses Blockchain technology in order to secure trust and transparency with her fashion line.

Each step and process is recorded on Blockchain with the Provenance app. For example, Jarlgaard will show the steps of her British Alpaca Fashion farm. This will include the shearing at the fashion farm, spinning at the Two Rivers Mill, as well as the knitting at Knitster LDN , and then to the her London fashion studio.

There will be a trial of this new system at the Copenhagen fashion summit, where customers will be allowed to scan a QR code or NFC enabled label. That way customers will be able to track the history of their purchases through Provenance, and they will have more information on what they are purchasing.

Jarlgaard said in an interview earlier this week "that information will increase customer expectations, which will put pressure on big companies"

A new perspective on shopping

This is supposed to help consumers make wise choices . They will know what they see is accurate.In addition to sustainability and transparency, there is also a story that comes with the clothing.

It will give consumers a new appreciation for the clothing, and they will get a chance to see how the clothes are made, and shed a light on the craftsmanship.

According to the British Alpaca Textiles website, it is the first vertically integrated company that produces textiles from British Alpaca. Additionally, it is produced to create high quality cloth for the fashion industry. Consumers will now appreciate the work that goes into weaving clothes that are worn everyday.

Furthermore, this is also a way to prevent old clothes from remaining in landfills. Recent studies show that over a third of garments are thrown out within one year. That is why designers like Martine Jarlgaard would like to strengthen customer awareness, and their expectations when it comes to buying their favorite clothing.