Label Conscious: communicating verifiable sustainable impact by labelling garments with smart technology

Bennett-Heim, Hilde ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2533-5953 (2021) Label Conscious: communicating verifiable sustainable impact by labelling garments with smart technology. In: FACTUM 2021 - Fashion Communication Conference, 28 June 2021 - 01 July 2021, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.

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Abstract

The circular economy has led to consumers demanding access to trustworthy information about a garment’s provenance as well as more detailed transparency on the second hand or recycled products they buy. Emerging digital technologies such as smart tags coupled with blockchain technology are offering solutions which promise to resolve some of the issues surrounding fibre origin, quality and ethical practice. However, although smart tags are accessible through open access, blockchain technology which verifies the claims on the tags, is less accessible, poorly understood and currently not universally available. Through the textual analysis of garment labels and interviews with designers, this study adds to the literature on communicating sustainable practice to consumers through digital garment labelling (smart tags) and contends that consumers as well as technology developers need simplified and standardised information on garment labels not only regarding content and care but ecological impact, to inform conscious sustainable practice and contribute to systems change.