Why Surge

Our digital traceability solution is tracing the way toward a more sustainable and interconnected future by unifying data, fostering collaboration and streamlining processes. 

By embracing traceability, brands can demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and ethical practices while identifying and addressing potential issues or inefficiencies in the supply chain, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and responsible business practices.

Write the story of your product

In an era where consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental and ethical impact of their purchases, knowing the story of a garment from its creation becomes paramount.

FRONT is a unique data management platform that efficiently streamlines and standardises data collection along a supply chain.
FRONT addresses system integration issues, tackling challenges in managing disparate systems that often don't communicate effectively.

It helps companies easily overcome the complexities of building ecosystems and navigating data challenges.

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Compliance with the regulation

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Today’s fashion supply chains are impacted by a wave of sustainability-focused legislation (Empowering Consumers Directive, France Agec Law, EPR, Ecodesign Directive2009/125/EC, CSDDD, CSRD, etc.) which are now requiring brands to share comprehensive and clear value chain and product information with consumers.

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is expected to help fashion enterprises achieve more circular, sustainable, and resilient value chains and Digital Product Passport (DPP) is aiming to stimulate and accelerate the dynamics of circularity and sustainability.

DPP is a part of a necessary ecological transition of the fashion sector, which can be facilitated only by parallel digital transition with application of advanced systems to enhance traceability, circularity, and transparency throughout the entire lifecycle of fashion products.In a very similar way, also the Article 13 of the Agec law requires Brands to make certain information available to customers and the authorities in a “dematerialised” and aggregated form, which correspond to a limited DPP.

The AGEC law mandates environmental information disclosure, the DPP enhances product traceability, and in both cases the burden of proof plays a crucial role in legal proceedings.​

 

The main objectives of the policy options concerning DPP are:

  1. Enhancing transparency throughout the entire value chain
  2. Streamlining and reducing the consumption of raw materials
  3. Promoting the creation of durable products
  4. Minimizing waste generation
  5. Fostering product differentiation based on quality, thereby facilitating competition against the fast-fashion actors.

Summarizing, DPP is a set of collected data from all phases of the product life cycle (design, manufacture, use, disposal) with detailed information about product’s components, materials, chemical substances, information on reparability, replacement parts and proper disposal.DPP requires a full digitization of industry processes and need to guarantee the maximum granularity of of the information about the product (identification that corresponds to a manufacturing batch, or a product reference that corresponds to several manufacturing batches with the same characteristics).

Our step-by-step traceability approach help companies clearly identify the required data collection points, in line with relevant norms and standards for sustainability, and align partners across the value chain.

Our scalable framework can be used across the entire sector and multiple textile and leather value chains, and can support a range of sustainability claims.

When operating in commercialised and industrialised contexts, international supply chains demand robust governance and significant simplification.

Our scalable framework can be used across the entire sector and multiple textile and leather value chains, and can support a range of sustainability claims.

We adapt to the supply chain’s structure, production processes, traceability strategy, and internal IT systems to collect the required information accurately, in the most effortless way possible.

We have extensive expertise across the entire fashion supply chain, enabling us to comprehensively understand the unique intricacies of each sector within the fashion industry.

The BOM traceability method is applicable for garment and footwear providing a good understanding of the on-the-ground operating environments and constraints. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is a crucial transition for contemporary society, necessitating a significant shift towards a circular economy and sustainable products and manufacturing processes. Despite this collective commitment, many companies need help achieving supply chain transparency due to inherent complexities and ineffective solutions. Recognising the fundamental role of suppliers in bridging data gaps and ensuring accessibility and compliance, FRONT encourages a collaborative approach. Suppliers, integral to the sustainability journey, may need to expand their internal administrative teams to meet client requirements. On the brand side, FRONT enables the streamlined collection and management of supply chain data. On the customer side, it ensures access to trusted information at purchase, fostering transparency and informed decision-making.

We are the perfect blend of sector expertise, operational flexibility, and consistent adherence to regulations, providing our clients with the assurance of a reliable and cutting-edge partner.

 We have extensive expertise across the entire fashion supply chain, enabling us to comprehensively understand the unique intricacies of each sector within the fashion industry.

Our experience covers a diverse spectrum, including textiles, garments, footwear, and eyewear.

When operating in commercialised and industrialised contexts, international supply chains demand robust governance and significant simplification. Our precision and competence set us apart from others, whether or not there is a consolidated Bill of Materials (BOM). We are flexible and able to meet our client’s needs at every stage of the production process.

We can adapt to the supply chain’s structure, production processes, traceability strategy, and internal IT systems to collect the information you require accurately.

We are committed to understanding industry demands and regulations comprehensively. We remain updated on the latest developments, including AGEC, DPP standards, and other relevant regulations.

We are the perfect blend of sector expertise, operational flexibility, and consistent adherence to regulations, providing our clients with the assurance of a reliable and cutting-edge partner.

FRONT meets market expectations and aligns with all current regulatory requirements like AGEC or DPP.

Unifying Data Elements for Sustainability

FRONT facilitates collecting, aggregating, and managing data elements, documents, and certifications into a comprehensive Supply Chain Data Catalog. This rich set of verified data allows for the following:

Carbon Footprint Calculation:

Utilising Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodologies, companies can easily calculate the CO2 footprint of products and packaging.

Transparent Product History Sharing:

Share complete and detailed product histories confidently with stakeholders and final customers via API, QR-code, or NFC technology.

Sustainability Claims and Labeling:

Efficiently manage sustainability claims and labelling to communicate product sustainability accurately to stakeholders and consumers.

Reputational Risk Management:

FRONT supports effectively managing reputational risks for brands by ensuring transparency and adherence to sustainability standards.

Supply Chain Collaboration

For supply chain participants, FRONT provides an efficient and collaborative approach to managing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data and documentation across the entire supply chain. It seamlessly integrates sustainability initiatives from brands and distributors to manufacturing third parties and suppliers of components and materials.

The Future Landscape

We foresee more prominent brands and distributors/retailers driving sustainability initiatives, with spending distribution being influenced by these major players. Smaller companies are expected to contribute in large numbers, fostering a collective effort towards sustainability. Implementing FRONT throughout the supply chain offers significant benefits, including:

Better Visibility of Compliance

FRONT enhances visibility into sustainability compliance requirements across the supply chain.

Cohesive Supply Chains

Building more cohesive supply chains encourages stable partnerships aligned with common sustainability goals.

Measurable Impact

The ability to measure the impact of sustainability policies over time provides a tangible gauge of progress.

Our solution are tracing the way towards a more sustainable and interconnected future by unifying data, fostering collaboration, and streamlining processes.

FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions

FRONT can seamlessly integrate with company legacy systems through APIs and REST servers, filtering information from platform users and legacy data systems. FRONT significantly reduces manual and redundant tasks while providing rapid access to relevant documents (spec sheets, analyses, reports, compliance statements, certificates, and production lot numbers). Additionally, FRONT offers the opportunity to create dashboards for monitoring intercompany processes and workflows.

 

Each company is provided with personalised access to the system. This unique experience enables companies to store, manage, and control their data autonomously. Moreover, it allows them to establish security rules encoded in the Blockchain. These rules determine precisely what data each participant within the supply chain can access. This individualised approach allows companies to customise their data management and security parameters according to their specific requirements. This fosters a secure experience for every participant.

FRONT is designed for collaboration. At the heart of its architecture is a non-hierarchical, distributed framework, where every actor serves as a crucial puzzle piece contributing to a comprehensive, interconnected view of the entire supply chain. This non-traditional model promotes comprehensiveness, ensuring that each participant, regardless of their role, plays a vital part in shaping and enriching the shared supply chain ecosystem.

Beyond individual entities, FRONT’s collaborative ethos extends into a network where each node actively participates in constructing a data-rich environment. This collaborative framework breaks down silos, promoting a holistic approach to supply chain management. Information flows transparently yet safely within this interconnected paradigm, creating a synergistic network that enhances visibility, trust, and efficiency across the entire supply chain ecosystem.

The training required for using FRONT is minimal, ensuring a smooth onboarding process. Our user-friendly interface is designed with simplicity in mind, making it accessible to users at all levels of technological proficiency.

 

Moreover, our dedicated team is at your disposal. Whether you’re the head of the supply chain or a supplier responsible for data input, our team is committed to providing comprehensive support and guidance. We understand the importance of a seamless transition, and our support extends beyond just implementation, ensuring that all users feel confident and empowered in utilising FRONT effectively.

FRONT is ready to manage the data of the supply chain, whether working with just a few suppliers or with hundreds of them across multiple levels. The data model is flexible and highly customisable while providing common idioms and a shared view of each asset that avoids data duplication across companies. This shared view makes the information available in real time to the allowed participants. It eliminates a whole class of issues: data reconciliation and transformation and the consequent loss of information are no longer a concern.

As a company progressively maps its supply chain in FRONT and enriches it with more workflows and cross-company processes, our state-of-the-art infrastructure scales seamlessly.

FRONT is designed with flexibility in mind to accommodate small, independent suppliers that provide goods and services to larger companies already in FRONT and complex businesses that want to trace and support the data flow of their supply chain. Thanks to our experience within the Fashion Industry, we can provide off-the-shelf data models that support the most common buyer-supplier interactions so you can get started collaborating with your suppliers and clients with minimal effort.

At Surge, we understand the intricacies of the fashion industry, and our wealth of experience allows us to tailor our solutions to meet the specific requirements and complexities of individual sectors or supply chains. While ensuring a common foundation for consistency, we specialise in customising FRONT to address the unique needs of diverse industries within the fashion supply chain. This tailored approach enhances relevance and maintains a shared base, ensuring interoperability across the entire spectrum of our clientele.

Private and permissioned Blockchain solutions are increasingly recognised as industry-level means of managing tamper-proof, immutable and cryptographically secure data. In a standard, single-company solution, all the data input into an ERP system is under the company’s direct control.
When working with FRONT, companies are working with a shared data model, where – according to specific permissions and authorisations – the system will present data coming from many other players without a pre-existing, trusted relationship. In this context, a blockchain provides a level of trust that allows players, who may be quite apart within the supply chain, to communicate and collaborate efficiently, sharing trusted and secure data.

One core tenet of FRONT is its shared data model, a lingua franca that enables consistency and resolves data quality issues before data is accepted in the Blockchain. Every transaction that adds information to FRONT is managed through a smart contract, code that validates the transaction and the correctness of data. Common information, like material composition, units of measure, and process types, are ported to a standard data model, which ensures data integrity. Moreover, any update to the data is logged and visible through a history view.
For unstructured data, custom plugins can be used to verify the content of uploaded documents.
Certification authorities can operate directly with FRONT to further the veracity of data and improve the information flow. These external entities play a pivotal role in issuing authoritative documents, such as certificates, and validating the accuracy and authenticity of the information stored in the Blockchain. This collaborative verification process adds an extra layer of assurance, bolstering the credibility of the data within the supply chain.

The collaborative nature of FRONT’s ecosystem is a built-in mechanism for quality control. Companies operating within the system can cross-verify and check each other, fostering a dynamic system of checks and balances. This collaborative vigilance enhances data consistency and promotes a culture of mutual accountability, ensuring that the information stored in the Blockchain remains accurate and reliable throughout the supply chain ecosystem.

A Bill of Materials (BOM) is a traceability method that goes beyond the limitations of a PO. It manages the digital traceability of complex apparel with numerous components, such as outdoor wear, women’s handbags, and footwear. Unlike a PO, a BOM provides comprehensive insights into different elements and production processes related to these assets.

Yes, a PO can include sustainability information and certifications. However, it may not capture all the specific data related to different elements and production processes, which is where the BOM provides a more detailed and comprehensive approach. BOM goes beyond the limitations of a PO by managing the digital traceability of complex apparel. It provides detailed information on various components, production processes, and specific data related to assets. This comprehensive approach ensures better traceability and understanding of the entire supply chain.

We provide future-proof enterprise software solutions, enabling our clients to manage their supply chain data effortlessly, securely, and always verifiably.

We want to meet current needs by embracing a future-proof approach while anticipating and adapting to evolving industry landscapes. The emphasis on effortless management underscores our dedication to user-friendly interfaces, ensuring that clients can efficiently harness the power of their data without unnecessary complexities.

In essence, our mission is to empower businesses to navigate the complexities of supply chain management with confidence, knowing that our software solutions are reliable, secure, and adaptable to future challenges.

Use innovation to empower decision-making.

We believe innovation needs vision.

Ours is to support companies who want to make consistent and informed decisions. It only happens when you deeply know your products and services through a deep awareness of the supply chain.

We provide future-proof enterprise software solutions, enabling our clients to manage their supply chain data effortlessly, securely, and always verifiably.

We want to meet current needs by embracing a future-proof approach while anticipating and adapting to evolving industry landscapes. The emphasis on effortless management underscores our dedication to user-friendly interfaces, ensuring that clients can efficiently harness the power of their data without unnecessary complexities.

In essence, our mission is to empower businesses to navigate the complexities of supply chain management with confidence, knowing that our software solutions are reliable, secure, and adaptable to future challenges.

Use innovation to empower decision-making.

We believe innovation needs vision.

Ours is to support companies who want to make consistent and informed decisions. It only happens when you deeply know your products and services through a deep awareness of the supply chain.