A new paradigm for traceability, sustainability and the fight against counterfeiting

The TRAC3S project, ‘Integrating luxury sector’s supply chain with Web 3.0 technologies,’ aims to transform the luxury sector with an innovative proposal presented during the Third General Meeting of Musa. This project aims to rethink the luxury supply chain with Web 3.0 technologies.

“Traceability, sustainability, communication and counterfeiting of luxury products were the focus of our project,” explains Giulia Rossi, a research fellow at the Università Statale di Milano. Rossi presented the project during the meeting, emphasising how the project develops in nine steps that rethink the entire production chain. This process starts with production and includes the mining of NFTs biologically associated with products, which are then released to the consumer through various immersive methodologies.

Once the product is purchased, the final consumer can enjoy a pre-sale experience that allows them to get in touch with all the characteristics of the product in terms of traceability and sustainability. When the product arrives in the hands of the buyer, it is equipped with a smart label that provides access to detailed information on the traceability, sustainability and originality of the purchase and its components. This process is supported by the TRAC3S application, a full-featured Web 3.0 technology application developed in collaboration with a technology provider.

The TRAC3S project has a significant impact in terms of sustainability, traceability and the fight against counterfeiting. This is particularly relevant as the new luxury consumers are often young and very interested in these new technologies applied to the luxury sector, which lends itself well to the introduction of such innovations.

As far as product labelling is concerned, Rossi explains that the system is two-way and runs on a non-energy-efficient blockchain developed at the State University of Milan. This system is almost energy-neutral and the idea is that the NFT and the product continue to communicate with each other, guaranteeing the traceability and uniqueness of the product throughout its life cycle, including possible resale in the second brand market.