Abstract
There is a significant nascent market for ethically produced products with enormous commercial potential around the world. A reliable method to signal the provenance of products is therefore critical for industry, given that competition based on price is not a viable strategy. The ability to trace and signal ethical treatment of animals is also of significant value to textiles manufactures. The efficacy of such a method can be measured with respect to the cost of implementation, scalability, and the difficulty of counterfeiting. The key to traceability is to win the trust of the consumer about the veracity of this information. Wearable sensors make it possible to monitor and improve the management of traceability and/or provenance. In this paper, we introduce a method for signalling the provenance of garments using radio frequency watermarks. The proposed model consists of two levels of authentication that are easy to use by legitimate vendors, but extremely difficult to imitate or hack, because the watermark is built-in and based on the radiation signature of electroactive materials.
Highlights
The notion of provenance stands for the process of establishing and authenticating a record of origin, as well as the logistics of production, distribution, and usage of a given product
To adapt this concept for signalling provenance, a radio frequency watermark can be embedded into the fabric
The proposed RF watermark is essentially a chipless radio-frequency identification (RFID) that is woven into the fabric or integrated into the packaging material
Summary
The notion of provenance stands for the process of establishing and authenticating a record of origin, as well as the logistics of production, distribution, and usage of a given product. The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) introduced by the World Textile Exchange has a similar aim, requiring that each stage of wool production is certified, allowing the producer to establish and maintain a globally distinctive brand position as a sustainable and socially responsible producer. This specific context makes incorporation of provenance within the fabric important, as it allows producers to differentiate themselves from (cheap) imitations and tap into a socially and environmentally conscious market segment that is likely to show significant loyalty to the brand. Sensors 2020, 20, 6661 logistical chain from animal to distributor, while the authentication phase incorporates a method to signal its provenance and for distributors and customers to be able to verify this signal (Figure 1)
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