First of its Kind: Eon
Written by Kenny Morifi-Winslow | Contributors: Kate Magoc, Jamie Ortega
The symbol of the barcode has been subverted by culture, manipulated by Banksy, and permanently tattooed on people aiming to make a statement about consumerism. The Universal Product Code, adopted in the 1980s can be found on nearly every manufactured retail item. Today, most products are still identified through their barcode, but once the retail tag is removed at purchase, that item can no longer be identified, managed, monetized or stewarded to where it needs to go.
EON is the world's first cloud-based network of retail products. While barcodes have helped merchants track products from the truck, to the shelf, to the cash register—EON adds new dimensions of data to that journey, opening up new possibilities for the circular economy. Founded in 2015 by Natasha Franck, their vision is to radically change commerce for the better by connecting every product to a Digital ID to make it interactive, intelligent and circular. Embedded with connectivity, products become assets that unlock lifelong customer relationships, circular business models, and yet unimagined innovations.
〇 Brand
Bringing ‘Backend’ to the Forefront.
The traditional UPC barcode encodes just two facts, Manufacturer and Product Code. According to Larry Silverman at TrackAbout, ‘if you pick up five boxes of Cheerios of the same size and package design, they will all have the exact same UPC number.’ In comparison, products with a Digital ID have a comprehensive digital profile stored in the cloud, enabling traceability, intelligence and connectivity across the entire lifecycle. By merging the language of the internet with deep supply chain knowledge, Eon is able to surface the hidden markers of commercial trade, bringing visibility, education and a future-forward edge to the world of asset tracking. Translated visually into a slick design system, their brand looks just as high fashion as the products they’re connecting, making them more attractive and adoptable by fashion brands everywhere.
〇 Experience
Future-Proofing Product.
We hear the word ‘sustainability’ all the time, but aren't always sure of the steps to take that make it real in everyday life. The circular economy is an ancient way of thinking and living that is both sustainable and actionable, gaining new life across industries today. Despite a push to evolve in recent years, the idea has posed a significant challenge for many brands, in particular those in Fashion.
How do they know what to do with the apparel if they’re unsure of the materials and its lifecycle? How do they communicate basic information about the garment to the whole supply chain that follows? From Annie Gullingsrud’s perspective as the Chief Strategy Officer at Eon, ‘ brands have lacked the ability to communicate product and material data critical to a circular system after the first point of sale, until now.’ Leading the charge in circular innovation, Eon is pioneering the technology and language to make circularity easier. With an intuitive interface scanned right from the garment itself, the product experience makes the cutting edge tech stickier, and therefore supports the circular economy with an increase in products and users.
〇 Business model
Beyond the Barcode.
EON is the only Product Cloud with a pre-integrated Marketplace of business partners, from top resale platforms, new applications and recycling partners to technology leaders like Microsoft and SAP. As a B2B solution to physical asset tracking and integration, EON can instantly connect products to top resale platforms, applications, recycling partners and more by tagging each item with a unique code.
With exclusive access to power new applications, business models & customer services, Eon has built a network around each product with pre-integrated resale, recycling and repair partners including Trove, Recurate and more, offering exclusive access to the industry’s largest marketplace of digital ID partners for customers and consumers alike to track and engage with the full lifecycle of their purchase.
〇 Design
The Modern Closet.
Good product design has the ability to drive adoption, and in turn support the larger mission of sustainability by bringing more users into the fold. While the most advanced elements of EON are available and visible mainly to the developers driving API integration across platforms, the simplicity of a scannable dataset embedded in clothing, is a gamechanger for the way people engage with their own wardrobes. While still in development, the catalog capability of the consumer facing clothing archive brings to life every 90’s teen girl’s dream of a digital wardrobe, first seen in Clueless. With a modern UI and powerful backend capability, EON puts the fun back into function.
〇 Data
Live Data in Motion.
In order to be accessible for integration with the world’s leading programs and beyond, Eon has pioneered The Circular Product Data Protocol, the industry's first standardized language for Digital ID. As the global identification system for apparel products in the circular economy, the protocol enables resellers and recyclers to access, identify and share essential product and material information.
First, the Protocol enables the identification and monetization of products through models such as rental and resale, and the management of products through care and repair.
Second, the Protocol lists all information needed for the identification of the materials of the product to streamline management of the asset’s material components. This data is essential for the reuse of materials, and supports disassembly and recycling, a novel and critical step towards fashion's transition to a circular future.
〇 Technology
Turning Knowledge into Power.
EON connects each item's Digital ID to an on-product digital label, so each consumer can scan and access exclusive content produced by the brand. It enables the ability to drive cross-selling, share styling advice, care instructions, sustainability information, or offer new services like resale through the network of partners.
Through their analytics capability and developer hub driving their API, Eon offers access to insights into how products are being used, interacted with and moved across the lifecycle to support deep business intelligence. Customers can access resale data to inform supply chain decisions, or bolster their sustainability promise with aggregated data.
Kenny Morifi-Winslow |
Associate Director, Strategy
I’d consider myself an Ecology Centered Designer; my background in Anthropology and passion for socio-environmental impact innovation frames my worldview. I challenge the present with strategic interventions for systemic change, to build a future more of the planet can thrive in.
My superpower is taking inspiration from natural systems to build evocative stories that help people feel connected to new concepts and ideas.