Universal Track and Trace meets CPSIA requirements

17 Aug '09

3 min read

A new labeling solution that allows manufacturers to meet and even exceed U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) requirements for product tracking, and then manage the tracking data online, is now available from Avery Dennison.

The solution, called Universal Track and Trace, consists of Avery Dennison printers, tag and label design software, and the D2CommTM online data management tool. “Universal Track and Trace requires no custom programming,” says Michael Dancausse, Avery Dennison product manager, In-plant Printing Solutions.
“It allows users to print and capture the specific label data that is mandated by CPSIA, and then add a unique serial number on the label that ties it to additional production data. And we can make all this available online.”

The CPSIA regulations, which become effective August 14, 2009, are designed to protect children by aiding in the recall of unsafe products, including apparel, footwear, bedding and accessories. The regulations require that a permanently applied label contain the product's production location and date, as well as the manufacturer's name and the product's batch or lot number. The mandate affects apparel manufacturers and importers who supply children's products.

With the Universal Track and Trace program, factories can:
• Incorporate a unique alphanumeric identifier--or garment license plate--into product tracking labels.
• Create links to component information and other specific manufacturing data.
• View and download the data from a secure website.

The unique alphanumeric identifier is the key to retrieving data about a specific component in a fabric lot. In the event of a garment recall, the label ID leads to the garment's fabric supplier and then helps determine the full scope of goods that used the questionable fabric.

Universal Track and Trace can also be used by label designers who may want to save a fabric lot's purchase order number even though the number does not appear on the label. They can save this data by having the Universal Track and Trace system take the whole data file used to print the labels. Specifically, the system captures the fabric lot and its purchase order number, and then aligns it with a bundle, cut order or even a specific garment by using a unique alphanumeric identifier.

How it Works
In operation, the Universal Track and Trace solution is a two-part process. First, the user prints a contractor ID label that has been designed to identify which information to capture. Next, the user periodically connects to Avery Dennison's D2Comm website. D2Comm captures the label data, including the specific serial number and its associated garment data, and stores it in a table. Once captured, the factory does not have to maintain separate data records on spreadsheets.

“Avery Dennison assigns the factory's label to a username, which authorizes only that person to view data,” says Dancausse. “Marking the data in the label design triggers the data upload. Once uploaded, an authorized operator can select, view, and download data quickly and easily. Best of all, this is done without any custom programming. If you are printing your labels in plant, you can be up and running today.”

Manufacturers who use the Avery Dennison InfoChain Express (ICE) solution and require more comprehensive services regarding purchase order management, certification document handling, and supply chain item tracking may inquire about how the ICE 3.0 CPSIA compliance module can meet those needs.

Avery Dennison Corporation

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