Supply chain traceability company Trimco Group has teamed with digital ID specialist Kezzler to develop a new solution designed to streamline regulatory compliance and transparency for the apparel and footwear industries.
The solution will tap into Trimco’s experience in supply chain traceability and data management, as well as radio frequency identification (RFID), a wireless tracking technology that uses radio waves. Combined with Kezzler’s digital ID solution and product digitization specialization, that expertise will allow the companies to create a more comprehensive solution to compliance with regulatory requirements, such as the European Union’s Digital Product Passport. That legislation came into effect this year and requires brands to use a digital product passport that provides extensive information about a product through its entire value chain.
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“Brands who are trying to tackle the onslaught of textile regulation and reach for true circularity can now get full support in their journey from the Trimco Group-Kezzler partnership. You truly can’t have one without the other,” said Camilla Mjelde, compliance and sustainability director of Trimco Group. “It’s a farewell to endless lists and manual work, jumping from one tool to another. It’s about time we make solutions accessible for brands and this is only achievable through collaboration.”
Traceability has become a key requirement not only in Europe, but around the globe as brands respond to growing consumer demand for transparency about the origin of the products they buy. A 2023 study by IBM found that 79 percent of customers look for guaranteed markers of authenticity when choosing products to buy, and of that group, seven in 10 would be willing to pay up to 37 percent more for products from companies that offer full transparency and traceability.
Kezzler chief commercial officer Cyrus Gilbert-Rolfe said that while many brands want to deliver on those transparency and traceability demands, working with multiple suppliers across multiple programs makes it difficult to do so efficiently. He said this solution will eliminate that issue, making it easier for brands to show consumers a full picture of their sustainability and human rights compliance.
“Kezzler and Trimco Group together deliver one platform that solves upstream traceability, downstream functionality, compliance and labelling, whether care label or RFID, all on GS1 standards with a global support model,” he said. “This is undeniably the beginning of a new chapter in regulatory compliance, product digitization and supply chain transparency. By combining our strengths, we’re delivering a solution that not only meets the current needs of our industry but anticipates the challenges of tomorrow.”
