An Anti-Counterfeit and Traceable Management System for Brand Clothing with Hyperledger Fabric Framework

Abstract

Counterfeit products are internationally regarded as “the world’s second greatest public health hazards after drugs”. Counterfeiters produce counterfeit brand clothing and then sell them to consumers through unofficial channels; thus, consumers spend a lot of money without getting the value they deserve. With the rise of e-shopping, the safety and security of branded clothing supply chains are also under threat. Counterfeit branded apparel manufacturers generate profits while genuine manufacturers suffer, which ultimately violates the interests of the public. This study proposes a traceable anti-counterfeit management system for branded clothing based on Hyperledger Fabric technology. This system can achieve full traceability of the production information of branded clothing. It uses the unique characteristics of blockchain, such as being unforgeable, traceable, open, and transparent, and collectively ‘maintaining’, to record the specific production processes of the brand clothing, and ensure the authenticity and legitimacy of the production information of brand clothing. The end-user can self-verify the product’s authenticity by sharing the product’s details on the immutable framework. It solves problems surrounding information asymmetry, opaque supply chain data, and easy falsification in the production process of branded clothing in traditional branded clothing supply chains.

Keywords

• blockchain
• internet of things technology (IoT)
• anti-counterfeit traceability
• ECDSA
• Hyperledger Fabric
• clothing supply chain