Sheep Inc. takes traceability to the next level

To develop a new sustainable business model for the fashion industry, Edzard van der Wyck and Michael Wessely launched the knitwear company Sheep Inc.

With sheep selfies, in-the-moment live broadcasting, and on-farm facial recognition, they are now going even further to bring consumers right down to the farm level. The interface, which debuted on Wednesday, enables users to swipe right to select a sheep, name the sheep, and follow the sheep in an effort to raise consumer knowledge of the intricacy of sourcing.

Van der Wyck, who previously cofounded the high-end tights company Heist Studios, had a desire to create significant improvements to the entire fashion supply chain. He sought to go into the origins of the raw materials in the company’s pursuit of “complete transparency,” and after sharing information about their manufacturers, he understood that information should begin at the farm level and provide an emotional element.

Van der Wyck said that by doing this, “it shows that there has been a very genuine, palpable journey that the clothing has gone through.” The company wants to raise public awareness of how intricate a supply chain may be.

He added that pPeople ought to consider the origins of their possessions. This allows you to identify the individuals who may have contributed to the wool in your sweater, which is crucial to us. Otherwise, you’re simply reading a data point. “It’s something that’s real.

Each item of clothing contains a detachable near-field communication (NFC) tag that allows for easy access to the farm level, where clients may choose their favorite sheep, obtain its GPS coordinates, and tap into the Livestream to view the farm whenever they want.

Under its own Farmflix brand, the company will also release brief documentaries that look at how farms run. To assist customers in better understanding the brand’s work with regenerative practices, rotational grazing, soil analysis, and carbon sequestration, it will delve into biodiversity programs. Additionally, they want to include content that demonstrates their attitude to animal welfare and the process of shearing sheep.

The technology took six months to create, and a special app will debut in February.

Consumers will soon be inundated with a vast amount of data, particularly as traceability disclosure regulations and digital passports start to take effect in Europe. Another question is if they understand what to make of it.

Van der Wyck stated that the Sheep Inc. project aims to assist customers in connecting, engaging, and understanding how clothing is created in order to develop responsible purchasing habits—even outside of their own brand.

Additionally, the business has created unique software that is integrated with its global suppliers, enabling them to follow a garment in real time as it moves through the production process.

The Connected Dot traceability tracker, which provides information on the carbon footprint at each stage of a garment, is already available through an NFC. “Continuous visibility into the process happening in our supply chain” is how Van der Wyck describes it.

Additionally, a brand-new feature called Time Capsule is being added, allowing customers to post images and keep track of when and where they’ve worn their purchases. The purpose is to encourage continued usage of the clothes one already owns and to forge a closer attachment with that item.