We are excited to announce that Ettos has been awarded grant funding from Innovate UK, the UK’s Innovation Agency, as part of their prestigious Creative Catalyst programme. It’s aimed at supporting groundbreaking projects that blend creativity and technology, a cross-section that perfectly encapsulates the space in which we operate. This funding marks a major achievement for ettos and will play a crucial role in advancing our mission to revolutionise transparency and traceability in the clothing industry.
As consumer awareness around environmental impact and ethical production grows, so does the demand for clothing brands to provide clear, verifiable information about the origins and lifecycle of their products. However, achieving this level of transparency is fraught with challenges, particularly when it comes to tracking the authenticity of recycled materials. At Ettos, we’re dedicated to overcoming these obstacles, and our recent backing from Innovate UK will play a pivotal role in advancing these efforts.
The grant will accelerate the development of our software, which is designed to address one of the most pressing challenges in the fashion industry: ensuring transparency throughout the supply chain.
AI image illustrating DPP technology. Credits: FashionUnited
Transparency Challenges in the Textile Industry
The textile supply chain is notoriously opaque, often involving multiple layers of suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors spread across different countries. This complexity makes it difficult for brands to have a clear, end-to-end view of their supply chain, leading to several key challenges, including but not limited to: Fragmented Supply Chains, Consumer Mistrust, Regulatory Pressure, Complex Material Flows and Supply Chain Integrity.
At Ettos, we recognise the urgency of these issues and are committed to providing solutions that enhance transparency and authenticity within the industry. Our innovative platform is designed to address these challenges head-on, providing clothing brands with solution for:
Digital Product Passports (DPPs): Our DPPs serve as digital records that provide detailed information about a product’s entire lifecycle, from material source to end-of-life disposal. These passports are accessible via QR codes and offer consumers and brands a transparent view of a product’s journey, making it easy for all stakeholders to get a concise understanding of a product’s environmental and/or ethical attributes.
Real-Time Evidence Tracking: Ettos enables brands to track material authenticity claims in real-time. For example, our platform allows for the verification of recycled fabric claims by ensuring that the necessary evidence is collected and maintained throughout the supply chain. This feature helps brands maintain compliance with new regulations and build trust with consumers.
Supply Chain Mapping: Our platform offers comprehensive supply chain mapping, allowing brands to trace their materials from fibre to finished product. This level of transparency is crucial for ensuring cross-tier collaboration and to facilitate wider scale industry change. If brands do not have the tools necessary to get a total view of their supply chain, it’s not possible to drive the impactful change that the industry needs to address the environmental challenge it poses.
BOM Level Component Tracking: Ettos facilitates the tracing of individual components within a product, such as buttons or labels, ensuring that every element of a garment is accounted for. This granular level of tracking helps brands ensure that every aspect of their products are considered and enables the pursuit of more sophisticated and measured sustainability strategies.
The Road Ahead
While the funding is a significant step forward, it’s just the beginning. We are committed to executing this project to the highest standards, ensuring that it delivers on its promise to transform the industry. With the backing of Innovate UK, Ettos is well-positioned to lead the charge in creating a more transparent and sustainable fashion industry.
We are grateful to Innovate UK for this opportunity and excited about the impact our platform will have. By continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible, we believe Ettos will play a key role in shaping the future of textile traceability and sustainability.
Stay tuned as we embark on this exciting journey to make the fashion industry more transparent, ethical, and sustainable than ever before. Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way—this is just the start, and we’re eager to share our progress with you.
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