Trackit paves the path for the industry to achieve its climate goals
CHALLENGES
Less than half of the brands with sustainability targets can trace their value chains.
Traceability is key to demonstrating and driving positive impacts on the ground. But while majority of the top brands have sustainable material targets for the 2030 goals, according to a 2019 UNECE study, only 34% can trace their value chains, of which only half have visibility to their immediate suppliers.
TRACEABILITY
Site, transaction, and physical product verification are key elements of traceability
We have identified three levels of verification (site, transaction, and physical product) that work together to provide the elements of traceability needed to give consumers confidence in a final product. Our chain of custody covers site and transaction-level verification. Brands and suppliers that need additional assurance can opt for physical product verification.
SOLUTION
Trackit helps brands credibly track certified materials
Trackit is a traceability program developed for our standards. It leverages our chain of custody, the Content Claim Standard, to trace third-party certified materials across the supply chain. Trackit centralizes site-level verification and offers two alternatives to transaction verification: Digital Trackit (dTrackit) traces certified materials by digitalizing transaction certificates, and Electronic Trackit (eTrackit) traces certified materials online via eTransactions.
CHOICE
We are offering brands a choice on how they want their transactions traced
The textile supply chain is complex and there is no one system that fits all traceability needs. Trackit offers brands a choice on how they want their third-party verified transactions traced across the supply chain.
dTrackit relies on transaction certificates for traceability. Transaction certificates are the current norm – they are flexible and cater to the fragmented and dynamic nature of the fashion, textile, and apparel supply chains.
eTrackit on the other hand, uses eTransactions to trace materials on a single platform that all suppliers must use. The workflow of eTransactions between suppliers is configured on a set of business rules, which allows for the system to automatically validate the input, processing, and output of products in bulk, making it great for stable supply chains with large volumes but less flexible for dynamic and fragmented supply chains that operate on disparate rules.
Creating a centralized space for certification data
Digital Trackit (dTrackit) allows brands certified to our standards to access their scope certificates, transaction certificates, and traceability data in one central place to ease the existing burden of manually collecting this data from suppliers. Supply chains that are not ready for eTransactions can continue using transaction certificates but with enhanced integrity and capabilities made possible by the centralization of data.
Increasing efficiency and integrity in traceability
Electronic Trackit (eTrackit) uses new technologies to increase efficiency and integrity in traceability. It tracks the volume of certified material for each product (rather than the entire transaction) online via eTransactions, shows real-time digital inventory as it is entered, and ensures peer-to-peer validation of transactions within a closed-loop supply chain.
TIMELINE
eTransactions are now live in eTrackit
As of September 18, 2024, eTransactions are now live in eTrackit, which means transactions of GRS or RCS certified material can begin flowing on the platform. In the eTrackit system, transaction certificates are replaced by eTransactions, which are the foundation for validating the chain of custody in the platform.
eTrackit is set to expand to include a wider selection of Textile Exchange standards and is only intended to trace material certified to these standards, meaning it will not scale to include other standard systems or materials that are not certified.
eTrackit’s initial release application is powered by the traceability platform TextileGenesis. Textile Exchange is working towards bringing other technology solutions into the eTrackit system. At this time, Textile Exchange will work in parallel with a shortlist of technology platforms to pilot the eTrackit system.
TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS
eTrackit multi-party traceability system pilot
The eTrackit multi-party traceability system will be piloted beginning in November 2024 and is expected to continue throughout 2025.
Thank you to all the technology providers who expressed interest in participating in this pilot. Only a limited number of technology providers could be selected for this pilot, and we are thrilled with the interest shown in the multi-party traceability system.
For those not selected, we will follow up after the pilot is completed and its findings have been assessed.
If you have not yet registered your interest but would like to receive updates about this pilot and its progress, please email trackit@textileexchange.org, and we’ll ensure you are added to our eTrackit multi-party traceability system mailing list.
Learn More
How does it fit with the evolution of our standards?
As we transition towards a more harmonized, outcome-focused standard system, our Content Claim Standard chain of custody, and therefore Trackit traceability program, will remain the backbone that links raw material practices and outcomes to facility-level material tracking and processing from source to product.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question not answered here, get in touch with us directly, and we’ll be happy to answer it for you.