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  • Australian company Security Matters is taking the lead in helping the fashion industry address significant concerns around its sustainability
  • It’s widely estimated, and widely accepted, that the fashion industry accounts for as much as 10 per cent of the global emissions
  • Recently, Security Matters announced a collaboration with LVMH Métiers d’Art to improve the transparency and sustainability of the luxury brand’s products
  • Security Matters’ unique marker and reader technology allows brands to sort and reclaim raw materials that would otherwise end up in landfill
  • It is active in markets across plastics, electronics, precious metals, agriculture, and food and beverage, creating complete visibility along the entire supply chain

Australian company Security Matters is taking the lead in helping the fashion industry address significant concerns around its sustainability, with solutions that also enhance brand protection.

It’s widely estimated, and widely accepted, that the fashion industry accounts for as much as 10 per cent of the global emissions and produces as much as 20 per cent of the world’s wastewater.

The industry acknowledges the issues, which are compounded by counterfeiting and exploited labour in third world sweatshops.

In 2018 the global fashion sector addressed its contribution to climate change by launching the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. Under the auspices of UN Climate Change, leading fashion brands, retailers, supplier organisations and others agreed to collectively address the climate impact of the fashion sector across its entire value chain.

Industry leaders, including Burberry, Esprit, Guess, Gap Inc. Hugo Boss, H&M Group, Levi Strauss, Adidas, Puma and others committed to implementing or supporting the 16 principles and targets that underpinned the Fashion Climate Charter.

More recently, Security Matters announced a collaboration with LVMH Métiers d’Art on a series of research and development projects aimed at improving the transparency and sustainability of the luxury brand’s products.

Security Matters chief executive officer Haggai Alon leads a team that provides a turn-key solution to address some of the fashion industry’s key challenges, including the need to verify the origination of the raw materials, authenticate items and track or trace their location to ensure consumers and producers have confidence in the authenticity and distribution of goods.

“Our technology enables a marker, made of sub-molecular particles, to be applied to any type of raw material so that it can be accurately tracked and traced throughout its production lifecycle using blockchain technology,” said Mr Alon.

“A unique reader identifies the marker, enabling our clients to securely identify and monitor items from their origin through to customer purchase and recycling in real time without the need for extensive lab tests.”

Tens of millions of garments are sent to landfill every year.

Security Matters’ unique marker and reader technology allows brands to sort and reclaim raw materials that would otherwise end up in landfill. As one of the most environmentally damaging industries, the fashion industry is quickly recognising the value of SMX’s technology in transitioning to more sustainable practices.

“The leading companies in the fashion sector are increasingly championing a new vision to strengthen their commitment to sustainability and minimise their impact on the environment,” said Mr Alon.

“It is our mission, and a privilege, to help the industry as major luxury and lifestyle brands transition from a linear to a circular business model while also providing solutions to the myriad issues around brand protection and counterfeiting.”

The Security Matters technology offers applications across a broad range of industries. Its chemical-based marker can be applied to solids, liquids and gases.

It is active in markets across plastics, electronics, precious metals, agriculture, and food and beverage, creating complete visibility along the entire supply chain.

SMX by the numbers

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