Every product has a lifecycle. But when it comes to fashion, most of that lifecycle is hidden from consumers.
When you shop, how much do you really know about what you’re buying? A tag might say “sustainably made,” but what does that actually mean? Can you follow its journey from raw materials to the factory floor to your closet? Can you point to the workers who made it or confirm they were paid fairly? For most consumers, the answer is no.
Without insight into a garment’s lifecycle, sustainable shopping is nearly impossible. And the environmental cost of getting it wrong is already too great.
The Environmental Cost of Fashion We Can No Longer Ignore
In Canada, nearly 500 million kilograms of fabric end up in landfills every year—about 81 pounds per person. In the US, 85% of discarded textiles end up in landfills. The global scale? 92 million tonnes discarded annually.
The numbers are shocking. It is no surprise that sustainable fashion is now at the forefront of consumer choice. Together, Millennials and Gen Z are 27% more likely to buy from brands that put people and the planet first. The real problem? Knowing which brands truly walk the walk, instead of just talking the talk.
The Transparency Gap: When “Sustainable” Isn’t Enough
Imagine finding a handbag proudly marked “sustainably made.” You flip the tag, look for details, and come up short. No mention of the raw materials, no sign of where it was manufactured, no proof of fair wages.
It’s easy to believe you’re shopping sustainably, but without real information, that purchase could be simply a form of greenwashing. Some of the biggest carbon emitters in the world claim to be champions of the environment, after all.
The numbers reveal just how wide the knowledge gap really is. According to the Fashion Transparency Index 2023:
- 0% of major fashion brands have achieved complete supply chain traceability.
- Just 3% publish their water use at the raw material level.
- Only 29% provide annual breakdowns of fibre sourcing.
- Nearly half (45%) share little to no information about supply chain facilities.
- 99% fail to disclose how many supply chain workers earn living wages.
But imagine a different ending. You pick up the handbag and notice a tag with a QR code. With one quick scan, the entire story of your garment unfolds. You find out where the materials were sourced, which factory created the handbag, and confirmation that the workers were paid fairly. Suddenly, you’re not just shopping with good intentions. You’re making a fully informed choice to shop sustainably.
Sounds ideal, right? Well, for some consumers, this level of transparency is already becoming a reality.
EU Mandates Transparency: The Era of Digital Product Passports
In March 2024, the European Union (EU) took a big step toward mandating transparency: requiring Digital Product Passports (DPPs) for goods sold to consumers in the EU.
What is a DPP? Well, think of it as a digital record that stays with a product from start to finish, telling you everything about the product’s lifecycle, including:
- The product's origin and raw materials,
- Details of the manufacturing process,
- Its environmental and social impact,
- Usage guidelines and care instructions, and
- Repair, resale, and recycling or disposal recommendations.
While 99% of brands fail to disclose whether their workers are paid fairly, for goods sold in the EU, that data is not only available. It’s required. And it’s not just the fashion industry that is impacted. The DPP requirement applies to nearly all consumer goods, bringing us one step closer to true sustainability.
Why Blockchain Is Becoming Fashion’s Truth Teller
While the DPP requirement only applies to products sold in the EU, many companies outside of the EU are not waiting to be told what to do. They are anticipating the shift and staying ahead.
Forward-thinking brands are already using technology to voluntarily share the full lifecycle of their products because brands benefit too. By embracing transparency, they earn trust, loyalty, and differentiation in an industry where consumers are increasingly voting with their wallets.
Brands most confident in their sustainability claims are turning to blockchain to document their supply chains. Why? Because once information is recorded on the blockchain, it’s nearly impossible to erase or alter. In other words, it’s tamper-proof.
Blockchain data is also accessible to everyone in the supply chain, from factories to regulators to end customers. So, blockchain brings something equally important: visibility.
When companies use blockchain to track the lifecycle of their product, they’re making a clear statement and promise that they have nothing to hide.
Ethereal Archives is a digital platform that builds on this promise by delivering more than just blockchain-based traceability. Ethereal ensures every luxury item’s story—its identity, provenance, and authenticity—is captured and independently verified in a secure, digital registry. By recording authentication details, ownership history, and evidence of craftsmanship, Ethereal gives both brands and consumers trusted proof of ethical practices and product value at every stage.
The Bottom Line
Blockchain alone won’t solve climate change (and it is no secret that it carries its own environmental footprint). But when used to track the lifecycle of a product, it can ensure that the “organic cotton” in your jumpsuit really is organic, your recycled polyester dress truly started as post-consumer material, and the production methods behind your goods are both ethical and sustainable. Ultimately, blockchain can finally close fashion’s biggest gap: transparency.
At Ethereal, we know that the future of fashion isn’t just about what we wear. It is about knowing the complete story behind every piece. With blockchain and Ethereal, those stories can finally be seen, verified, and trusted.
Be part of a growing community that values the stories behind what we own. Sign up to be the first to know when the Ethereal app goes live.
