Week 6 – Blockchain Transparency and Authentication

In week 6 of my project, I focused on learning how blockchain technology can help increase supply chain transparency and aid in proving authenticity of garments. In today’s world, riddled with large corporations outsourcing their production to sketchy and often unethical factories and sweatshops, it has become crucial that we establish a trusted system that ensures transparency in supply chains.

In blockchain, all information is decentralized, as it is stored across numerous data servers; due to the decentralization, every bit of data has various backups around the network. Alongside this, each piece of data on the blockchain is encrypted by a completely unique key, so no one can tamper with it, making transactions irreversible.

However, with the use of a chain explorer (essentially a browser for transactions), you can see all of the transactions that a people or companies have made with eachother, as long as you know the users’ addresses in the network. If a clothing company were to use blockchain to make its transactions with trusted, ethical production companies, they would easily maintain transparency in their supply chain.

In Week 7, I will continue shadowing data scientists and connect with one of my photographer friends to begin planning styling shoots for my photobook juxtaposing techwear and fashion around the Bay Area with writing on how we are using technologies here to help solve issues in the fashion and clothing industry around the world.