Towards a secured traceability system for closed-loop textile supply chains

• Textile and clothing (T&C) industry is characterised by complex and extensive supply chain involving various stakeholders dealing with diverse raw materials. Owing to these complexities, the textile supply chain is facing numerous challenges like, counterfeit products, limited information sharing, ineffective recycling/reuse of textile products, unethical practices and interrupted information flow. As a result, a secured traceability system that can integrate the whole value chain, record, store, and track / trace all supply chain activities, make it more transparent and at the same time safeguard it from unauthorized access, has become a prime requirement for the T&C industry. In this context, the current study conducts a literature review to identify the generic requirements of traceability and in context of T&C closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). It further evaluates the role and key requisites of a cryptographic tag for textiles product, as an additional measures/parameter to secure the traceability system and prevent unauthorised access. Finally, the paper draws on key characteristics of such cryptographic tag for textile CLSC and lay down the tentative methodology that would be followed in the future research for development of a complete secure traceability system. It is anticipated that such secured traceability system can prevent counterfeits, data leakage, bring transparency and automate the reverse logistic process.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Secured Traceability

Closed-loop supply chain

secure tag

Textil och mode (generell)

Textiles and Fashion (General)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)