Shaping Fashion’s Tomorrow: ITEM Systems Co-founder Unveils the Future of Privacy, Sustainability, and Blockchain Integration
In Brief
Guilherme Sperb Machado has discussed the future of NFI, the process of integrating blockchain into the traditional fashion industry, its possible challenges, and some information about the coming blockchain event in Paris and what ITEM Systems will present there.
Metaverse Post talked to Guilherme Sperb Machado, the ITEM Systems Co-founder, to learn more about the recent applications of new technologies in the fashion industry. ITEM Systems was created as the result of the partnership between two innovative companies in the IT sector—the Swiss software boutique AxLabs and the US-based Web3 trailblazer COZ. By developing NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and creating NFI (non-fungible item) technology, they are ushering in a new era for Web 3.
Guil has discussed the future of NFI, the process of integrating blockchain into the traditional fashion industry and its possible challenges. In addition, he shared some information about the coming blockchain event in Paris and what ITEM Systems will present there. He has also told Metaverse Post about the goals his company wants to succeed in the future.
ITEM Systems will debut with blockchain-based activation in cooperation with NEO Blockchain at Paris Blockchain Week on 9-11 April. Their NFI technology allows users to verify ownership of physical items on the blockchain. At the same time, visitors will be able to design NFI-enabled T-shirts at the booth and transfer ownership to their personal wallets with assistance from the team.
What can you say about NFIs and their broader adoption across different sectors?
At this moment, we are mainly focused on three sectors. The first one is activations; ITEM Systems help events, shops, or customers during events by providing them with a booth to give an experience, enable these companies to experience technology and make users aware of a certain product using our technologies. These events and activations have plenty of room to gamify experiences.
The second category, which we think has a lot of potential, is luxury. We help with the authenticity of products in provenance and also help customers of the sector have a superior experience with technologies because luxury is a very conservative industry.
The third area to focus on is art. It’s about having authenticity and provenance of art and building a community of artists and those who consume art. I think artists could offer special rewards or early access to new works or invitations to private events that they promote and have our technology embedded in their physical art pieces.
Is the luxury sector ready to communicate with top-notch technologists?
I think it’s still a challenge for our technology to go to luxury because we have very conservative companies on the other side. Still, there is a very good opportunity for them because they have problems we can solve, such as authenticity.
What distinguishes your approach regarding physical and digital work from your rivals?
We are different because we don’t try only to focus on a single use case; we try to embed our technology in different materials and products, unlike other companies. We also use superior technology comparable to what you have on your credit card or your biometric passport, which has more layers of protection than other companies out there.
What can you say about the long-term goals of ITEM Systems?
Our vision for ITEM Systems is to make Web3 accessible and frictionless. So we think that we do it to bridge the gap between this physical and digital, like enabling you to prove that you were in contact with something in different ways that you can bring this to your chain.
What can you say about user privacy and security, and how do you prioritise it?
As we are Web3 natives, we have this in our core values, and our blood, privacy and data security are our top concerns. At the same time, we don’t identify users and don’t collect their data. The only thing that we do is generate proof of ownership of the phone, and then you can do whatever with this; you can show this proof to an application on your phone, or you can share it with someone.
It depends on the customer of our technology, so maybe there’s a luxury brand that needs to collect the proof that you have a product, and they need to identify you every time. But it’s not us, but them, who will handle that. Of course, everything is under data protection and privacy laws, so it’s something that we don’t get so much involved in. The only thing that ITEM Systems is aware of is how many people interact on the chain and put this on a smart contract, so that’s that’s basically not identifiable at all.
Can you tell us about any potential challenges or opportunities in integrating blockchain into the traditional fashion industry? Please elaborate if you’ve faced any.
One of the main challenges we face is the material we are working with, especially leather. You need something that you can wash with our embedded NFC microchip, that can be exposed to UV light, and that will last for a long time because some companies produce products that will last decades. At the same time, we are trying to adapt our products to the ISO standards and working in this direction to conform more with the industry.
With the increasing adoption of sustainable practices and going “green”, how do you envision the role of blockchain technology in driving broader adoption of sustainability within the fashion industry, and how does ITEM Systems plan to contribute to this shift?
I think blockchain plays a role in sustainability, such as tracking and provenance. I see ITEM Systems playing a role in greening practices by offering a platform for apparel brands to claim and prove their sustainability efforts. For example, apparel brands could incentivise users to recycle their items with our technology, and then if the user goes to a recycling station, he will be able to earn a reward because the brand will have verification of the certain item being recycled.
How do you envision NFI-enabled T-shirts and other clothes pieces influencing the overall future of fashion and self-expression, and why do we need to have proof of owning something physical?
I believe that the need for proof of ownership touches practical, economic, and emotional dimensions. We are human beings in the end, and our evolution taught us that crafting tools, using them, keeping them to show to others, or keeping them for when we need them is a good idea. I think that we do more or less the same these days. We used to collect things; we used to keep like a concert ticket to show our children that we went to that event.
So I think it’s inherent to the human being that we take these things and we create an emotional connection to it, and I think that’s the role, that’s one of the things that we want to touch with our NFI-enabled T-shirts.
What should people do if they lose their collectables? Can they be destroyed somehow so nobody can find them and use them for their purposes?
In case someone loses an item, there’s a digital twin; ideally, this digital twin will be kept on the blockchain. You can manage that with a cold wallet and can have ownership of it through another wallet that you control. It means that as a user or as a brand, you can reattach this connection between the physical item and the digital twin, basically rebind it, if you still have your wallet in place that controls this NFI on-chain
Are you ready for this upcoming Paris Blockchain Week? What do you expect?
Yes, we are ready, we are ready, we’re pretty excited about this year’s event. This will be the first time we will have such a large activation in cooperation with the NEO blockchain.
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Viktoriia is a marketing researcher and copywriter with a background in international relations. Her professional portfolio includes the writing of research papers focused on the import and export of products to Europe and Asia. Proficiency in the Chinese language and the time she has spent in China have extended her capabilities to master not only European markets but also those in China and Singapore. While currently living in Italy, Viktoriia continues to deepen her knowledge and skills in marketing and copywriting. Her experience allows her to perform analytical work and create texts on a diverse range of topics, ensuring accessibility to a broad audience.
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Viktoriia is a marketing researcher and copywriter with a background in international relations. Her professional portfolio includes the writing of research papers focused on the import and export of products to Europe and Asia. Proficiency in the Chinese language and the time she has spent in China have extended her capabilities to master not only European markets but also those in China and Singapore. While currently living in Italy, Viktoriia continues to deepen her knowledge and skills in marketing and copywriting. Her experience allows her to perform analytical work and create texts on a diverse range of topics, ensuring accessibility to a broad audience.
