The garment recycling start-up is letting the quick response codes share the fabric backstory.
A garment recycling start-up from Los Angeles called Ambercycle has started adding mini QR codes to its labels. The purpose is to make it possible for shoppers and customers to use their phones to scan and access online portals providing the details of how and where that specific article of clothing was made.
The barcode is printed on the tags with the assistance of Avery Dennison in Glendale. That company provides the suite of online tools this start-up recycled clothing manufacture uses for digitizing the process.
The mini QR codes help to further spotlight the unique recycled nature and design of the products.
The goal of the quick response barcodes is to make it much easier for a consumer to understand how the garment was made, precisely where the fabric came from, and many other details that add transparency and interest. That is, after all, the entire principle behind this project. The company wants its customers to know exactly where each piece of clothing comes from, because that’s exactly what makes them different.
The barcodes on the tags help to tell the “garment’s story,” explained Sarah Swenson, Avery Dennison global sustainability manager.
The additional detail of the barcode, beyond the facts typically printed on the garment label, also helps to satisfy consumer expectations, which have come to include knowing where their apparel is made and how it is manufactured. Avery Dennison markets its barcoded tags as a tool for allowing companies to boost their transparency and appeal to consumers who want to understand the products they’re purchasing.
The mini QR codes lead to a portal in which the customer is guided through the materials used to produce the garment, as well as care and washing details. There is also additional information provided for the best disposal of the clothes so that when the customer is finished with the item in a few years, Ambercycle can respin the 
material from the used garment and turn it into a fresh fabric. Of course, beyond that, it also helps customers to know that their clothing is indeed from Ambercycle and that it is “ambercycleable”.