Introducing Aethos
Do you know where your clothes come from? What if you found out they were made in an unethical or unsustainable way? Would you still have bought them? The gap between our values and the purchases we make is becoming wider.
This is why we created Aethos: the service to issue the 21st century receipt. It combines a fully automated platform that enables the receipt to be issued, with a hybrid model that facilitates a supply chain verification process.
On the one hand Aethos is an engine for transparency that empowers conscious choices by revealing the real story behind products. On the other it’s a megaphone for people to promote transparent brands and hold opaque ones to account through our #knowyouraethos social media movement.
We’ll deep dive into the receipt first, and then we’ll look at Aethos verification.
Introducing the 21st century receipt
We know we are not the first group of people to tackle transparency and efficacy in the fashion world.
So we felt it was very important for us to look closely at the assets already in play and we re-envision them in a better version.
Receipts are still an integral part of the retail experience. These artefacts of our society have traditionally revolved around the fair exchange of value. But they have not evolved with our shifting priorities. Nowadays, anytime you purchase something, we’re sure the classical “Would you like a receipt?” resonates with you. What does it resonate? How many times do you say yes? How many do you say no? Probably, the most.
This act is taking out an important realisation of the value of our purchase and this is why we want to introduce our version.
It works as a proof of conscience, displaying the information that matters most to consumers about their products. It comes in paper form or email form, linked to an interactive web app version that brings to life the stories of the producers and places that created the product.
Discovering the 21st century receipt
As customers are making a purchase, they will see a poster in the store or website, introducing the 21st receipt. After making the purchase, they are asked if they would like their receipt - and say yes this time - to receive a paper version or a digital version sent to their email. On scanning the physical QR code or clicking on their email link, customers will be taken to the web app version of the receipt. This shows the product’s journey interactively, designed based on the retention rates of our digital prototype. We also bring the stories of the producers and places that created the product to life here.
Knowing the journey of a product gives rise to political discussions that are often inextricably linked with ethical questions - for instance, around the use of forced Uyghur labour for sourcing cotton in Xinjiang. Our approach is to bring these to consumers' attention so they can research and inform themselves on these important issues.
Revealing the 21st century receipt empowerment
A big part of the power of the Aethos receipt is its ability to empower ethical fashion brands and hold others to account. Sharing the receipt of a transparent product displays the brand's name and a confirmation that the clothes are exploitation free while opaque brands are prompted to make their product journeys transparent.
Understanding the verification engine
Aethos verification enables brands to prove their supply chain claims. It relies on blockchain combined with physical technology to track a product’s journey from farm to shelf. This location data is cross-referenced by us with existing databases and certifications standards. Our approach is to use existing trails to legitimise and authenticate supply chains rather than add another level of certification.
Our tracking process uses unique molecular tracers that enable us to physically verify a material’s point of origin, paired with NFC tags that function as a digital marker. These are scanned along the production journey and relayed to our Blockchain based app. This secured digital ledger registers the tag ID and location data of the smartphone when it’s read.
By combining proof of location underpinned by a decentralised system, with the work of existing verification bodies, we can create real transparency in establishing whether products are truly exploitation free.
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Would you really want to know the real story behind your possessions?
"Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing." (Oscar Wilde)
