Womenswear retailer Victoria’s Secret has launched its first digital product passports (DPP) on select collections as it looks to ramp up transparency about its supply chain.
Digital product passports will be necessary for all clothing businesses selling into the European Union by 2027, and Victoria’s Secret has worked with technology company Eon to place them on several ranges, including its Signature Cotton T-shirt bra and VSX Featherweight Max sports bra.
Bras will feature a QR code that can be scanned by the customer, taking them to a portal of information about the provenance of the product. The DPP houses detailed information about materials and the garment’s journey from raw material to finished goods, as well as new features to enhance the customer experience such as “easy reorder.”
Emily Farshchi, traceability manager at Victoria’s Secret & Company (VS&Co), said: “We’re excited to introduce the digital product passport, an important step in our commitment to transparency.
“By providing detailed insights into our product journey’s, we’re giving our customers easy access to important information about the products they wear, which in turn helps customers feel good about their purchase.”
Sarah Moore, assistant vice president of ESG at VS&Co, highlighted how the digital product passports make clear the brand’s direct sourcing partnerships with four family farms in Alabama.
“We’ve produced more than 90 million Signature Cotton products made with cotton sourced directly from our farm partners,” she commented.
“Our DPPs connect customers to the growers and makers behind their product.”
If you take a picture of the QR code on the Green Retail World home page you’ll see what’s included in the DPP
Victoria’s Secret said the DPPs also make it easier to repair and recycle products by providing key information about materials and care, which gives information about how garments can be processed correctly at the end of their life. The aim here is to reduce waste and support a more circular fashion industry.
Since 2021, Victoria’s Secret has partnered with Debrand, a company founded by Amelia Eleitier to improve garment recycling and extend the life of materials.
Chris Callieri, chief supply chain officer at VS&Co, said the company is “committed to enhancing supply chain transparency, offering customers deeper insights into the journey of their purchases”.
He added: “Transparency is good business – it builds trust, highlights the intentional decisions we make in our product development, and demonstrates our suppliers’ commitments to sustainability.”
Read more about DPP on Green Retail World
[image credit: Green Retail World]
