Digital IDs are increasingly becoming a must-have for sustainability-focused brands and on Tuesday one such — Ahluwalia — announced it has linked up with Microsoft and EON to share “the untold stories of garments from creativity to production through Digital ID technology”.

The label has launched the Symphony Unlocked initiative, which “tells the story of” Ahluwalia’s AW23 collection, Symphony, featuring digital ID technology.

The tech was “created and connected” by the EON Product Cloud platform (a software for creating, connecting, and capitalising on digital ID tech”), powered by Microsoft Azure. 

In practice, it means that via a QR code, Ahluwalia customers can “discover their item’s unique story, including the design inspiration, production processes and the origins of the sourced materials”. 

The collection, which launches on the Ahluwalia website this month, comes with these QR codes on the care labels and when scanned, they detail and display each item’s story “across the elements of the products lifecycle from the fibre used to the design story”.

This tech “offers customers greater insight into the inspiration behind the collection, how each garment was made and guidance on how to take care of their clothes”. Shoppers can also follow a garment’s journey through the supply chain to sale.

The company said it’s “blurring the boundaries between the physical and the digital, converging the worlds of technology and fashion”.

“We want people to connect with the story of each item of clothing we create and become a part of its journey,” said designer Priya Ahluwalia. “We create clothes that are meant to be cherished and stand the test of time. Each piece tells a unique story that draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of art, literature, music, and culture. We’re now able to share that story with the world. Being environmentally and socially conscious is something that is very important to us, we want people to engage with the history of each garment and, when they’re finished enjoying the piece, to be able to give it a new life.”

As well as giving consumers information about what they’re buying, EON’s founder and CEO Natasha Franck said the tech means “the story doesn’t end at checkout. Brands can forge deeper relationships with their customers and deliver greater transparency, service and customer value. Digital IDs give customers access to a world of rich information at their fingertips. You can trace where an item has been, how it was made, and find out how to give it a second or third life once you’re finished with it. This technology will be critical to unlock a truly circular economy.”