At G20 in Rome, members of HRH The Prince of Wales' SMI Fashion Taskforce, which includes brands such as Chloe, Mulberry and Burberry, have committed to rollout Digital ID across their products, leveraging the Circular Product Data Protocol.
As part of its commitment to accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future for the global fashion industry, The Prince of Wales’ SMI Fashion Taskforce will immediately begin rolling out Digital ID to inform customers of the sustainability credentials of their purchases and facilitate the delivery of circularity at scale. The Digital ID was unveiled at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Rome as part of HRH The Prince of Wales visit to the G20 gathering. Giving products a Digital ID, will allow key players in the fashion value chain - including manufacturers, brands, retailers, resellers and recyclers - to provide unprecedented transparency and traceability of the products they sell. It will also unlock new circular services for customers, such as care and repair services, as well as ones focused on resale and recycling.
The ultimate objective is to provide customers with access to credible information about how products are designed, manufactured, and distributed, and thereby, empower them to make more informed sustainable purchase choices. At the same time, the lifecycle tracing element of the Digital ID system aims to extend the longevity of products and enable brands to scale circular business models.
Described by The Prince as a “coalition of the willing,” the Fashion Taskforce is also creating a permanent Steering Committee that will work collaboratively to solve relevant challenges, and to openly share knowledge and best practices with regards to the Digital ID implementation.
Chair of the Fashion Taskforce Mr. Federico Marchetti said:
“The time for only talk is over. In such a highly competitive industry it is unprecedented for so many different brands and platforms from all around the world to work together on a single innovative solution, and I am delighted to say this commitment is the result of an incredible group of companies and their leaders who recognize there is no time left to lose in transitioning the industry to a more transparent and sustainable footing. This Digital ID provides a genuine opportunity for consumers to make truly sustainable choices when they are making their purchases. In an industry that needs to do so much more to improve its impact on the environment, this is a huge step forward and only the beginning of the Taskforce’s journey.”
HRH The Prince of Wales said of the Taskforce:
“The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet and so if we are to tackle climate change, we need to make clothing production much more sustainable. To do this correctly, we need cross-industry collaboration that goes beyond borders and brands. That is why I am so pleased that some of the world’s top fashion businesses have joined forces to transform the industry and work to ensure our fashion choices don’t cost us the planet.”
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Members of the Fashion Taskforce:
Federico Marchetti—Fashion Taskforce Chair Mohammed Alabbar—Founder, EMAAR Properties, Noon.com Thierry Andretta—CEO, Mulberry Riccardo Bellini—President + CEO, Chloé Maximilian Bittner—CEO, Vestiaire Collective Simon Cotton—CEO, Johnstons of Elgin Natasha Franck—Founder + CEO, EON Marco Gobbetti—CEO, Burberry Gabriela Hearst—Founder, Gabriela Hearst Gabriele Maggio—CEO, Stella McCartney Giuseppe Marsocci—Deputy MD, Giorgio Armani Anne Pitcher—CEO, Selfridges Lauren Santo Domingo—Co-Founder, Moda Operandi David Schneider—Co-CEO, Zalando Riccardo Stefanelli—CEO, Brunello Cucinelli
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About The Sustainable Markets Fashion Taskforce (SMI):
The world’s leading fashion industry brands have joined forces to help tackle climate change. Brought together by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and chaired by Entrepreneur Federico Marchetti, top players in fashion have committed to chart a more sustainable future for their industry. Launched in May 2021, the aim of this newly formed Fashion Taskforce is to tackle various sustainability challenges within the fashion industry and make it easier for consumers to buy clothing and fashion products that do not cost them the planet. Members of the Taskforce have committed to being leaders of the global fashion, textile, and apparel sectors to help transform and inspire the fashion industry from being a significant source of carbon emissions to a leader in sustainability and circularity.
Read more: www.sustainable-markets.org