Macy's and Nike test RFID blockchain for tracking supply chain products

Global apparel brands Nike, PVH Corp (Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein), HermanKay, and retailers Kohl and Macy are involved in using RFID tags to track products in the supply chain of proof of concept (PoC).

Auburn University's RFID Lab runs PoC for the CHIP (CHain Integration Project) program, which aims to use blockchain for product data exchange from manufacturing to storage. RFID Lab has released a white paper.

The mentioned companies participated in the first phase of the project, which successfully integrated the serialized data flow from manufacturing to retail, thus creating a transparent trajectory for the development of the product. Auburn University said that these brands contributed their project-level data streams from various supply chain nodes from January 2019 to December 2019.

PoC is able to use RFID system to capture about 642612 items, while 222974 items are written into the blockchain. Distribution sources contribute approximately 87% of the data. The goal of the project is to enable trading partners and supply chain participants to view standard information and provide end-to-end visibility.

Clothing companies must face the constant threat of counterfeit products, piracy and even theft. Blockchain can potentially increase the transparency of the supply chain and provide auditable clues about how the product operates. Distribution is a way for products to change hands, increasing the risk of mismanagement.

Blockchain is increasingly being used for traceability in the supply chain, and industries around the world have introduced new solutions. Luxury manufacturer LVMH and Microsoft partnered with ConsenSys to verify the authenticity of products on the blockchain using DNA tags.

可口可乐装瓶厂使用SAP的提单ockchain platform to effectively manage the supply chain. Anheuser-Busch InBev, a Budweiser beer maker, has developed a blockchain solution to track products in its supply chain.