How brands are using Digital IDs on and off the Blockchain
Whilst the fashion industry is embracing the transformative potential of digital ID’s overall there is uncertainty around using them on or off the blockchain. It’s true, fashion brands need individual digital IDs to enhance products transparency, combat counterfeiting, and tap into the growing trend of personalisation. Overall, digital IDs empower fashion businesses to build trust, meet consumer demands, and drive innovation in an increasingly digitised and conscious marketplace. Here, we break down the pros and cons of the two different uses.
Using Digital IDs Traditionally without the Blockchain
Offline digital IDs in the fashion industry typically involve the use of physical or tangible markers, such as QR codes, RFID tags, or unique serial numbers, that are associated with a digital identity stored in a database.
Fashion brands can benefit from digital IDs even if they are not on the blockchain as they offer enhanced traceability, authenticity, and consumer engagement. Digital IDs provide a reliable means to showcase sustainability, combat counterfeiting, and cater to the demand for personalised and exclusive fashion experiences.
An example of this is Authentique's services, used by LVMH’s Patou, which use Vision AI Models developed by Veracity Protocol to represent the unique material structure of physical objects. These were then stored against their digital ID and the ownership stored in Patou’s online database adding a new dimension in fashion’s effort to fight fakes using AI’s ability to spot patterns indiscernible to humans.
Using Digital IDs on the Blockchain
The most notable distinction between fashion using digital IDs on and off the blockchain lies in immutable traceability. With blockchain, each garment's journey, from raw materials to the finished product, can be tracked and verified in real-time. This enables consumers to access a wealth of information about the product's sustainability, ethical practices, and overall environmental impact. Consequently, blockchain-driven fashion encourages responsible consumption and combats issues such as counterfeiting and greenwashing.
While traditional fashion operates with physical certificates, receipts, and labels that can be lost or manipulated, the blockchain provides an immutable record that cannot be tampered with. This offers consumers undeniable proof of authenticity and quality, building trust between brands and their customers.
Furthermore, digital IDs on the blockchain foster a sense of exclusivity and uniqueness. By tokenizing fashion items, brands can create limited editions or even unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. These digital tokens can be owned, traded, and authenticated securely on the blockchain, granting consumers a sense of ownership and participation in the fashion economy.
Fashion using digital IDs on the blockchain revolutionises the industry by offering traceability, authenticity, and a newfound sense of ownership. As sustainability and ethical concerns continue to shape consumer preferences, blockchain-driven fashion paves the way for a more transparent and responsible future, empowering individuals to make conscious choices about the clothes they wear.
At its core, a digital ID on the blockchain is a unique identifier that provides a secure and immutable record of an item's origin, manufacturing process, and ownership history. By leveraging blockchain technology, fashion brands can create an ecosystem of trust and transparency, empowering consumers to make informed choices.
Authentique works with the fashion industry on an a la carte basis. Some have a requirement for blockchain ID’s, others choose to stick to the familiarity of off-chain ID’s. The product offering is:
1. The Authentique App facilitates digital ID’s (on or off blockchain), trace the re-sale market, protect products from fraud, share provenance, communicate story telling, reward customers with a digital twin and more.
2. Vision AI Models developed by strategic technical partner Veracity Protocol provides authenticity verification.
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