Turning Product Data into Fashion’s Competitive Edge
In an era where fashion supply chains are being reshaped by digitalisation, sustainability mandates, and rising demands for transparency, apparel brands are under pressure to rethink how products are identified, tracked, and communicated across their lifecycle. From inventory accuracy and anti-counterfeiting to Digital Product Passports and circular business models, data is becoming the backbone of modern fashion operations. SML Group is a key enabler of this shift, connecting physical products to item-level data at scale. In this interview with Fibre2Fashion, Nanna Ingemann Dalsgaard, Vice President of Sustainability, Digital ID and Marketing at SML Group, shares how item-level RFID, Digital IDs, and solutions designed to support DPP requirements are helping brands improve operational efficiency, meet regulatory expectations, and build more transparent, resilient, and commercially viable supply chains.
SML has become a leader in item-level RFID. How are these innovations helping apparel brands and retailers address persistent challenges such as overstocking, shrinkage, and inaccurate demand forecasting?
SML’s leadership in item-level RFID is rooted in over four decades of applied innovation focused on real operational challenges in the apparel industry. RFID is today, for many, a dependable foundation for everyday decision-making at scale.
By providing item-level visibility across factories, distribution centres, and stores, we enable brands and retailers to gain a precise, real-time understanding of what inventory exists, and where it is located. This clarity fundamentally changes how decisions are made. Demand can be anticipated rather than managed reactively, while shrinkage and inventory discrepancies are detected much earlier in the product lifecycle, enabling intervention before losses escalate.
Replenishment moves from approximation to precision, improving availability while reducing excess stock. The result is more accurate forecasting, faster inventory turnover, a better customer experience, and improved financial performance, delivered through solutions that have been proven at scale across global apparel supply chains.
Apparel supply chains are under pressure to demonstrate transparency. How is SML enabling end-to-end traceability for fashion brands through digital IDs and traceability platforms?
We enable end-to-end traceability by creating a consistent digital thread that links the physical garment to the digital world, from source to consumer. We achieve this through three key pillars:
First, using our Inspire RFID labels and global encoding network, we assign a standardised identity to garments at the point of manufacture. This creates the ‘source of truth’ required for traceability.
Second, we prioritise open standards, designed to help our data integrate effectively with a wide range of traceability platforms or enterprise systems. This approach helps reduce blind spots and supports interoperability, allowing brands to maintain flexibility rather than being locked into a single ecosystem.
Third, while Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are still evolving, our solution will facilitate the essential building blocks - digital ID, supply chain data capture, and serialisation. We aim to help brands transition smoothly from current operational traceability to future regulatory readiness as standards emerge.
With Digital Product Passports becoming a regulatory requirement, how is SML supporting brands and manufacturers in preparing scalable data infrastructures for compliance?
With Digital Product Passports (DPPs) becoming a regulatory requirement under the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the main challenge lies in the data infrastructure, not the passport itself. DPPs demand consistent, validated data linked to physical products across complex supply chains.
SML supports this by combining DPP-ready labels with a scalable digital solution. Our QR- and NFC-enabled labels connect physical products to their Digital Twin, while our platform facilitates consolidated lifecycle data such as materials, origin, care, and end-of-life, into a structured, regulator-ready format.
Designed for real-world adoption, SML allows brands and retailers to start at SKU level and scale towards item-level passports as data maturity evolves. By integrating physical and digital solutions into a single offering, we help brands and retailers prepare for compliance practically while building a foundation for transparency, circularity, and consumer engagement.
Many brands struggle to link sustainability with measurable returns. How does SML quantify the impact of its EcoInspire materials and sustainable label innovations on cost, waste reduction, and efficiency?
SML quantifies the impact of its EcoInspire materials and sustainable label innovations through measurable reductions in material use, emissions, waste, and operational complexity. For instance, our Eco RFID Inlay is supported by ISO 14067-aligned carbon footprint verification, providing credible, comparable emissions data.
Replacing conventional PET inlays with paper-based alternatives delivers a 10–16 per cent reduction in product carbon footprint and shortens decomposition time from years to approximately six weeks. These improvements also lower downstream waste-handling costs.
At the manufacturing level, SML’s innovations improve efficiency by reducing raw material consumption, scrap rates, and rework. At scale, these efficiencies translate into lower total cost of ownership across the product lifecycle, while maintaining required performance and quality standards. Furthermore, comparative analysis of recycled versus virgin paper impacts supports data-driven decision-making, helping brands align their sustainability goals with commercial efficiency.
Counterfeiting poses major risks to apparel brands. What advancements is SML making in anti-counterfeit technologies to safeguard brand value and consumer trust?
Counterfeiting undermines brand integrity and consumer trust, requiring solutions that are both practical and scalable. SML supports this through advanced RFID-enabled tags and dynamic QR labels that help verify product authentication and strengthen traceability across the supply chain.
By assigning each product a unique digital identity, SML’s solutions enable authentication checks at multiple points, adding a robust layer of protection against duplication and misuse.
As Digital Product Passports are introduced, this protection is further strengthened, allowing consumers to access verified product data more seamlessly. This increased transparency aims to foster greater confidence that the items they purchase are authentic and meet compliance standards.
Apparel brands often cite complexity in adopting new technologies. How is SML ensuring that RFID, digital IDs, and on-demand labelling integrate seamlessly into existing manufacturing and retail systems?
SML’s approach focuses on technology that supports existing processes rather than complicating them. Instead of asking brands to manage disparate systems, we strive to standardise data and production across our global footprint.
Our strategy rests on three pillars of integration:
First, we act as a centralised translation layer, converting variable data from existing ERP or PLM systems into compliant formats globally to support consistency.
Second, our network in over 20 countries mirrors the apparel manufacturing landscape. This facilitates local delivery of encoded tags, helping align production cycles and minimise supply chain friction.
Finally, we address adoption risks through rigorous quality control protocols like our Total Quality Management System (TQMS).
The fashion industry is moving rapidly towards circularity. How is SML enabling brands to integrate circular business models through product-level data, traceability, and reuse-recapture capabilities?
The shift towards circularity depends on reliable product-level data, with the upcoming Digital Product Passports (DPPs) set to play a central role. SML supports this foundation by connecting physical products to structured digital records that persist across the lifecycle.
Through DPP-ready products, we will in the future help brands capture information essential for repair, resale, and recycling, allowing downstream actors to understand handling requirements. This traceability will improve transparency regarding ownership and condition, supporting reuse models. By linking data to product interactions, brands can design circular strategies based on verified insights rather than assumptions.
Importantly, SML’s approach is designed to be practical and scalable. Soon, brands and retailers can start with DPP compliance and progressively extend the same product-level data infrastructure to support circular initiatives as business models mature, positioning DPP as both a regulatory requirement and a data backbone that enables brands to move towards circularity in a structured and credible way.
As VP of Sustainability, Digital ID & Marketing, how do you work with apparel clients to ensure that sustainability messaging is genuine, data-backed, and aligned with evolving consumer expectations?
Ensuring sustainability messaging is genuine starts long before external communication. My focus is on building the systems, governance, and partnerships that make credible communication possible.
At SML, we are guided by a 4-pillar sustainability strategy covering compliance, customer demands, operations, and supplier engagement. This ensures sustainability is addressed end-to-end, from sourcing to reporting. A core enabler is our ESG management system, which provides a consistent framework to capture and verify data across our supply chain, moving us away from anecdotal claims towards evidence-based reporting aligned with global standards.
Collaboration is critical. We work with suppliers to improve transparency and with customers to ensure information reflects real practices. By grounding messaging in structured ESG data and verified processes, we ensure communication remains honest, relevant, and resilient as consumer expectations and regulations evolve.
What sustainability and traceability trends should fashion brands and retailers prioritise as they navigate stricter regulations and rising consumer scrutiny?
As regulations tighten and consumer scrutiny increases, brands and retailers should prioritise sustainability and traceability initiatives that are data-driven, scalable, and aligned with supply chain operations.
First, product-level data and traceability, driven by the upcoming Digital Product Passports (DPPs), are becoming foundational. Brands and retailers need structured, verifiable information on materials and origin to support regulatory reporting and operational decisions.
Second, alignment with evolving global legislation is key; solutions should be globally adaptable rather than designed for single markets.
Third, supply chain engagement is vital. Simplifying data capture and supporting suppliers ensures the accuracy required for credible traceability.
Finally, consumer transparency should shift towards clear, evidence-based information. By combining regulatory readiness with factual communication, brands and retailers can better foster trust. The priority is establishing a strong foundation that supports compliance today while remaining flexible enough to navigate future scrutiny.
How can small- and medium-sized apparel manufacturers adopt digital identification technologies without facing prohibitive costs or operational disruption?
SML enables brands and retailers to begin with DPP-ready QR or NFC labels that integrate into existing labelling workflows, minimising operational impact. On the data side, SML’s platform will support different levels of digital maturity. Supply chain actors can start by uploading core compliance data using structured templates rather than complex system integrations. As requirements evolve, the solution can scale towards item-level identification.
Importantly, this approach allows costs to align with actual adoption. Suppliers are not required to invest in fully integrated systems from day one; instead, they can meet initial requirements and build capability gradually.
From your perspective, what are the biggest barriers preventing the industry from achieving full transparency across sourcing, production, and after-use phases?
The most persistent barrier to full transparency is fragmented and incomplete data. Data is often spread across multiple systems, suppliers, and formats, making it difficult to establish a transparent view of a product’s lifecycle, particularly in global supply chains.
The challenge starts upstream, where low data maturity and weak governance undermine traceability. Downstream, incentives to engage with product data in the post-use phase remain limited. Furthermore, issues around data ownership and trust create hesitation; many organisations are cautious about sharing information they cannot fully control. Until incentives and governance are better aligned, the industry will struggle to unlock the full potential of DPPs.
SML helps brands and retailers ensuring regulatory compliance while creating value-driven incentives that transform DPP from a mere requirement into a strategic value driver.
How will Digital Product Passports reshape the relationship between consumers and fashion brands, particularly regarding durability, repairability, and circularity?
Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are likely to fundamentally recalibrate the consumer–brand relationship, shifting it from largely transactional and narrative-driven to one that is more evidence-based and responsibility-oriented.
First, DPPs can redefine how durability is assessed. Instead of vague claims, consumers can gain access to verified data on materials and expected lifespan. This transparency encourages brands and retailers to substantiate quality with facts, potentially making durability a measurable part of the brand promise.
Second, DPPs help normalise repairability. By sharing component details and instructions, these passports lower maintenance barriers, suggesting a shift where brands and retailers act as long-term stewards rather than just sellers. This evolution offers an opportunity to strengthen loyalty, though it may also raise consumer expectations for ongoing support.
Finally, DPPs can make circularity tangible. Abstract concepts become concrete options like resale or recycling, inviting consumers to participate actively. Ultimately, this moves the industry away from a ‘buy-and-forget’ model towards a potential ongoing, data-enabled dialogue about product value.
As global supply chains become more unpredictable, what strategies should apparel businesses adopt to build agility while still meeting sustainability commitments?
As global supply chains face unpredictability, apparel businesses might benefit from viewing agility and sustainability as complementary strategies. True agility often relies on structural resilience rather than just speed.
Fragmented data across materials, factories, and systems worsens disruptions. Technologies like RFID and digital identification provide real-time visibility, enabling accurate tracking, faster responses, and confident sustainability management.
Operational flexibility at the factory level is critical. SML’s Factory Care Solutions (FCS) enable on-demand, localised, late-stage printing and identification, allowing brands and retailers to adjust production flows, destinations, and labelling without rework or waste, supporting both responsiveness and responsible resource use.
Agility also depends on supplier enablement. Simple RFID, pragmatic data capture, and DPP-aligned workflows bring suppliers of varying digital maturity into a unified operating model, improving data quality and continuity during disruption.
DPPs provide structured, product-centric data that enhances traceability, accountability, and decision-making.
At SML, agility emerges where physical identification, factory execution, and digital data converge. Integrating RFID, FCS, and DPPs creates a practical ecosystem, helping brands and retailers navigate uncertainty and meet sustainability goals with greater operational agility.
