By implementing a blockchain system, brands can establish a comprehensive strategy to monitor their entire supply and value chain, granting them the ability to trace the journey from raw materials to the finished product, ultimately reaching the hands of the end consumer. This newfound transparency empowers consumers to make informed decisions based on a brand’s adherence to ethical and environmental standards.
In today’s market, countless fashion brands claim sustainability without substantial proof, making it challenging for consumers to ascertain their actual commitment. However, the implementation of blockchain technology ensures the preservation and validation of a brand’s integrity, providing a robust mechanism for accountability.
Leading the charge in this transformative movement is Rouba Ghassan El Murr, the visionary founder of Rouba.G and the pioneering Arab designer leveraging blockchain to drive transparency in the industry. With an unwavering determination to push boundaries, a distinct artistic style, and extensive experience bolstering her profile, Rouba.G sends a powerful message through each unique collection. Pulse had the privilege of engaging in a conversation with this exceptional designer to delve deeper into this ground breaking topic.
Tell us more about your degree and how can it help have a more sustainable fashion industry?
I majored in Luxury and Fashion Management with a concentration in ETHICS, and throughout my studies I focused on the ethics in the luxury industry which turned out to be lacking and obscure. As a start I’d like to note that sustainability is not something that any industry can achieve in one day, in fact we are often misled by statements of being sustainable without understanding how sacred the word is. My degree helped me understand that as an entrepreneur; ethical, environmental, and economic responsibilities are the core values to every brand that seeks a good change in this world even if it’s only a one percent change. Ethics requires so much humility and understanding of humanity. Humans are part of this environmental system that we claim to care for, we can not treat our planet fairly if we cannot respect and care for one another. Being environmentally conscious and ethically responsible is actually a luxury.
We’ve been told you’re restructuring your business to concentrate on transparency and blockchain. When will this launch and who is helping you achieve that?
Yes, we’ve been working on specific ethical standards for sometime now, which includes supporting indeginous cultures,supporting victims of human trafficking by collaborating with NGO’s world wide that protects these victims, transparency in our supply chain starting from the concept and design to the finished garment. Also, we are working on getting certificates that proves our ethical standards that are yearly updated to fit conscious goals. We will be launching our new e-commerce website by the end of July where we shed the light on the means of ethics and the importance of transparency in our brand values which will involve QR codes that are the beginning of our journey in the blockchain system. We hope that in a year from now the brand will enable full transparency by the help of professionals that will develop a proper integration of a supply chain and value chain monitoring system.
What will the QR code on each of your garments indicate
Because we believe that our consumers have the right to know everything about the collections we create and produce starting from the concept to the finished piece and whatever falls in between, we are creating a QR code for each garment so that the end user will be able to scan to know who made their garments, how they are made and under what conditions, where the raw material are sourced and if the source is reliable and work under ethical standards that are parallel to the brand’s ethical guidelines, as well as monitoring how the concept is selected and what are the sources of inspiration meaning that all ideas are owned by the brand and not stolen from any other brand nor cultures, and not to forget how are the workers treated and if they are getting a well paid salaries. In other words we want to be as close and real to our consumers as much as possible to assure them that they are buying luxury items that seek a change not just on an environmental level but also a change for humanity.
Can you name a few other ways for a fashion brand to build transparency?
When a brand admits that they are not perfect when it comes to sustainability, the journey in building transparency begins. It is never late for a fashion brand to build transparency and it starts from the core of the organization. Meaning that the brand should consider the three main pillars mentioned previously (economic, environmental, and ethical) homogeneously and equally that guides the brand to a sustainable path. The website plays a huge role in building up transparency and its the easiest tool to start the journey of supply chain and value chain. Also certifications from sustainable experts are important and efficient because these certifications are built on specific guidelines and standards that the brand has to follow and enhance to keep them valid.
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