Traceability

Traceability refers to the process of tracking a garment’s full-circle journey across the supply chain, from the origin of raw materials to the final sale. This allows businesses to create a transparent map, which can help ensure ethical and sustainable practices are followed at every stage. 

Within the fashion sector, traceability can support sustainability initiatives by: 

Raw Material Sourcing: the process of finding, evaluating and procuring the necessary materials for production, including everything from identifying suppliers and managing logistics. Brands can prove whether the fibers are organic, recycled, or ethically sourced, ensuring sustainability claims. 

Fair Labor Practices: ensures fair treatment of employees through livable wages, and safe working conditions throughout the supply chain.   

Reduced Impacts: by increasing supply chain visibility, brands can identify issues within the supply chain infrastructure to mitigate waste generation, energy-intensive production, and unsustainable material sourcing. 

To support traceability efforts, designers can create a transparency map. By creating a transparency map, designers can help consumers visualize the lifecycle of a garment, from raw materials to the finished product. This provides consumers with public information regarding raw materials, manufacturing, and distribution.  

Recommended Reading: The Rise of Traceability in Fashion