Up Close is Sourcing Journal’s regular check-in with industry executives to get their take on topics ranging from their company’s latest moves to personal style. In this Q&A, Laure Betsch, co-founder of fashion transparency software company Fairly Made—which just raised 15 million euros—shares her checklist for considered shopping and discusses how the platform is helping brands estimate products’ impact during development.
Name: Laure Betsch
Title: Co-founder
Company: Fairly Made
Related Stories
Which other industry has the best handle on the supply chain? What can apparel learn?
The food industry has long been ahead in terms of traceability and consumer transparency. Labels like “organic,ˮ “fair tradeˮ or “AOCˮ [“appellation d’origine contrôlée,” which translates to “controlled designation of origin”] have set expectations for origin and quality. Apparel can learn from this by structuring supply chains with more granularity and sharing that information with all stakeholders, including the final consumer.
What should be the apparel industry’s top priority right now?
Standardizing and digitizing supply chain data. Brands often lack a clear and centralized view of where and how their products are made. Without this foundation, any sustainability claim is shaky. We must prioritize visibility and data quality to build real environmental strategies.
What innovation or development holds the greatest potential to improve operations in the apparel and textile industries?
Digital product passports. They act as a bridge between brands, suppliers, regulators and consumers. When built with verified data, they can transform the industry from opaque and reactive to transparent and accountable.
Tell us about your companyʼs latest product introduction:
Weʼve launched our new Ecodesign feature—a powerful tool that helps fashion brands design better products from the start. By simulating different material and manufacturing scenarios, this feature enables design and product teams to anticipate the environmental impact of each collection before it’s even produced. It’s a game changer for making sustainable choices upstream, aligning creative vision with measurable impact reduction.
How would you describe your corporate culture?
Our corporate culture is rooted in three core values.
Transparency: We believe in giving everyone access to reliable information, from brands tracking their supply chains to consumers seeking clarity.
Rigor: We use certified methodologies and work closely with every supplier to deliver trustworthy and verifiable data.
Benevolence: We support our partners with empathy, recognizing that sustainability is a journey. We value every step forward, no matter how small.
Whatʼs the best decision your company has made in the last year?
Shifting our focus fully to product innovation has been a defining move. We invested in developing new features like Ecodesign and upgrading our entire tech infrastructure. This allowed us to provide a seamless experience for our clients—more intuitive tools, real-time data insights and deeper integrations with digital platforms. It positioned Fairly Made not just as a partner in compliance, but as a proactive solution for designing the fashion of tomorrow.
Where do you look for personal style inspiration?
I draw inspiration from timeless silhouettes and quality fabrics that age beautifully. I focus on secondhand shopping, renting clothes and embracing circularity in my wardrobe choices.
How do you shop for clothing? How would you describe yourself as a fashion consumer?
I prioritize quality over quantity. I like to apply the BISOU method, a five-step approach to help you question a purchase and avoid unnecessary consumption. Each letter stands for a French word, forming a checklist.
Besoin (Need): Do I really need this item? Is it a basic necessity, or is it just a desire? Can I do without it?
Immédiat (Immediate): Do I need it right now? Could I wait a few days or weeks before deciding? This helps avoid impulse purchases.
Semblable (Similar): Do I already own something similar? Is it just a duplicate or a small variation of something I already have?
Origine (Origin): Where does it come from? Who made it? Under what conditions? Is it locally made, ethical, sustainable?
Utilité (Usefulness): How useful will it be? How often will I use it? Will it improve my life or just clutter it?
What are the top three product attributes that you factor into your purchasing decisions?
Origin—I want to know who made it and under what conditions. Material, because it determines longevity and environmental impact. And versatility—I need to be able to mix and match pieces in my wardrobe easily.
What is a retail experience that stands out to you?
When vendors really know their product, each material and product history. I really like the Reformation shopping experience.
What makes you most optimistic?
How much progress brands have made since we launched the company seven years ago truly gives me hope. Back then, the idea of transparency and sustainability in fashion was still quite niche. Today, more and more brands are taking responsibility, asking the right questions and genuinely trying to reduce their impact. Itʼs incredibly encouraging to witness this shift from awareness to action—and to be part of that transformation alongside them.
