The most exciting green applications of Blockchain technology are those that trace the origins of luxury goods back to their raw materials. Many companies are still not quite ready to embrace Blockchain technologies. The question is whether they will be able to see the benefits of increased traceability without investing in the technology itself. LVMH, Prada and Richemont-owned Cartier have banded together behind a shared digital platform known as AURA which creates “product passports.” This Blockchain-based solution allows customers to see the supply chain history of their goods from raw materials through to second-hand sales. Each brand’s product is given a unique, cryptographically protected identifier that allows customers to trace a customized digital trail of the product’s journey from farm to fashion show.
Nativa™ is considering a green application of Blockchain technology through the issuance of a certificate of authenticity for luxury goods manufactured with traceable, ethically sourced raw materials from farms around the world. Nativa™ wool products are produced using a regenerative agriculture program. The program seeks to protect the land by improving soil quality, water quality, boosted CO2 capture, and healthy, well-kept animals. The application of Blockchain to this program offers brands a traceable and certified story, with each step of the production process
awarded a certificate and a label tracing the raw material, e.g., wool, from farmers to garments. The regenerative practices that work with nature instead of against it help improve land, reduce water use and emissions, and protect soil and biodiversity. This program is the first regenerative wool program to be launched in the United States, in partnership with Shaniko Wool Company, an Oregon-based farm group managing nine farms across four states. Its wool is RWS-certified, which means it’s responsibly raised and produced with the best possible standards of animal welfare, land management, and sustainability.
This program is a great example of what happens when luxury companies are willing to get on the ground and help their supply chain partners become more transparent. It’s a win-win for the brand, the farmers, and the consumer.
However, this is not the only tracing technology being explored. Sydney start-up FibreTrace has developed a way to make it easier for fashion brands to track regenerative cotton and wool from field to runway. Its luminescent tracking pigment is made from rare-earth minerals and can be incorporated into the fiber itself so that it can be scanned to verify its provenance. 
Taking the textile industry’s ethos of stewardship to the next level, many luxury brands are working with the Aura Blockchain Consortium to ensure that each and every piece of luxury goods produced is authenticated, traceable and ethically sourced. This green footprint approach, powered by the Aura Blockchain, allows buyers to digitally track the provenance of their chosen pieces from initial sustainable, green sourcing through final delivery.