Transparency is the first step towards accountability as a business, and industries are now recognising it and promoting it as a way to make processes more ethical and sustainable. Blockchain technology is already being used by the food industry to track shipments of products or verify their origins.

In the past, a lack of transparency in a company’s supply chain was seen as a competitive advantage. Businesses wanted to keep insight into their suppliers and manufacturers as opaque as possible. If no one knew where supplies were coming from, no one could build an identical apparel. This thinking extended to customers, out of sight meant out of mind when it came to worries about ethical sourcing and manufacturing in the apparel industry.

It’s clear now however, that there has been a major shift in the way companies and consumers view transparency. With the advent of blockchain technology and similar digital solutions across multiple sectors, transparency is now a trend and a market advantage.

In the apparel industry where vast, complex and opaque supply chains have reigned supreme; known for constantly searching for lower labour costs and cutting corners to source and produce raw materials cheaply; consumers, in the current age of information are now demanding more transparency and traceability. Businesses in this space would do well and remain competitive by ensuring this demand is properly met as it is unlikely to abate any time soon.