Hackathon Date: 7-8th Oct 2023
- Problem statement: BCG Track
- Are you applying for the grant with the same project you submitted at the vechain Hackathon: No
- Project name: FibreTag
- Team name: FibreTag (previously FiTag at the hackathon)
- GitHub handle: https://github.com/jjjutla/FibreTag
- College/Employer: Imperial College London, King's College London, Binance
- Payment Address: 0xB04c1F26353490f6b6Dc99a0f48b72Ee53B103Ee
FibreTag is an iOS app that uses the VechainThor Blockchain to enhance brand trust in the luxury fashion industry. By tracking and disclosing product origins, manufacturing procedures, raw materials, and previous owners, FibreTag combats counterfeits and promotes sustainability. Utilizing NFC technology, FibreTag offers users an in-depth view of a product's journey from raw material to purchase. Additionally, each purchase comes with a unique NFT digital twin, ensuring authenticity and providing transparency for conscious consumers.
Vechain's reputable collaborations with luxury brands and its anti-counterfeiting solutions make it a natural fit for FibreTag. Its scalable technology aligns with our requirements, and our shared focus on sustainability in fashion is further strengthened by vechain's immutable records, ensuring the unalterable transparency of a product's journey and sourcing. Smart contracts on vechain automate and validate transactions, guaranteeing adherence to ethical and sustainable practices. Vechain's easy to use toolset streamlines our development process and their transparent framework amplifies FibreTag's commitment to authenticity.
Purpose: Register a new luxury item in the system and on the blockchain
Body:
- nfcUID: Unique NFC identifier
- itemName: Name of the item
- description: Description of item
Response:
- success: True/False
- itemID: Unique ID of the item generated on the backend
- message: Success or Error message
Purpose: Update the stage of an item in the supply chain
Body:
- itemID: Unique ID of the item
- nfcUID: Unique NFC identifier
- stage: The stage (e.g. “Manufacturing”, “Packaging”, “Shipping”)
- action: “start" or "stop". Indicates whether the stage is being started or completed
- workerID: ID of the worker updating the stage
- timestamp: Date-time of the action. If not provided, server current time is used
Response:
- success: True/False
- message: Success or Error message
Purpose: The main objective of this endpoint is to provide a comprehensive history of a luxury item. This history captures every stage of the item's journey within the supply chain. By accessing this, third-party developers, businesses, or end-users can validate the authenticity and provenance of the item, ensuring that it adheres to the standards and processes claimed by the seller or manufacturer.
Headers:
- API-Key: Unique API key assigned to a registered user
Parameters:
- itemID: Unique ID of the item
Response:
- success: True/False
- item: Details of the item
- History: Array of historical stages and associated details
Purpose: This endpoint serves to mint the NFT digital twin immediately after a sale. Using google walletless login, the user's wallet is identified, and the NFT is minted and sent directly to that wallet. The vechain.energy API key is used as a blockchain bridge to the luxury store’s payment processor.
Body:
- itemID: Unique ID of the item
- paymentID: Unique ID of the payment provided by the payment provider
- userWalletAddress: Wallet address of the user obtained through the walletlessAPI
Response:
- success: True/False
- nftID: Unique ID of the generated NFT
- message: Success or error message indicating if the NFT minting was successful or not
Purpose: Get details of the associated NFT digital twin for an item.
Parameters:
- itemID: Unique ID of the item
Response:
- success: True/False
- nftDetails: Details of the associated NFT.
Purpose: Authenticate a worker, ensuring only authorized personnel can update items.
Body:
- workerID: Unique ID of the worker
- password: Worker password (servier side hashed and salted)
Response:
- success: True/False
- Token: Auth token for subsequent authenticated requests (JWT)
- message:Success or error message
Purpose: This endpoint enables users to perform a walletless login using Google OAuth on the web interface for brands to view data. The primary function is to authenticate users via Google and simultaneously retrieve their associated public wallet address. Please note that the iOS app is going to use Google Firebase in order to perform the same actions.
Body:
- googleToken: The token provided by Google upon user authentication
Response:
- success: True/False
- userID: Unique ID of the user in your system
- userWalletAddress: Waller address of the user obtained through Google Auth integration
- message: Success or error message, indicating the result of the process.
- REST API backend running Web3.js/Thorify to interact with smart contracts.
- Solidity tracking smart contract.
- Digital twin NFT smart contract.
- FIAT payment smart contract.
- Vechain.energy API integration as blockchain bridge.
- iOS frontend written in Swift using SwiftUI/UIKit. App is built using MVVM architecture, widely regarded as the one of the best mobile architectures for clearly separating UI and internal logic using internal Xcode target frameworks.
- Basic Web frontend to visualize tracking history.
When a user downloads the app they are presented with several login options - login as a manufacturer scanning and updating tag information or as a consumer wanting to view the history and validate authentication of an item. To allow for an easy onboarding we have a conventional login using Google OAuth which is integrated through Google Firebase, which acts as the server backend for all centralized FibreTag information that does not require the immutability or decentralization of the VechainThor blockchain. Upon successful account creation, certain premium features within the app are locked until activated with a valid API key.
The app provides an easy overview of the FibreTag marketplace, where FibreTag acts as a middle man for users to purchase products from companies that partner with FibreTag. Additionally, users are able to scan the physical NFC tags in the clothing to validate and ensure the validity and origins of their clothing. On top of that, the NFT phygital feature is used to its fullest extent when operated via the iOS app due to the amount of native support Apple provides with its ARKit and RealityKit libraries. Please keep in mind that users can store their private keys for their wallets locally on device using SwiftData und UserDefaults - 2 features Apple provides for device-only information.
Brands and manufacturers submit requests to the backend during manufacturing. After verifying the requests, the API employs Web3.js to interact with the Solidity smart contract. Once processed on-chain, users can request the product history through a getHistory API call.
For a user to purchase an item on the luxury brand’s website the payment provider returns to the website with a specific payment ID and simultaneously informs the backend about a new NFT to be created. The backend, in turn, triggers the vechain.energy-API to mint an NFT corresponding to the purchase ID. As the user waits, the NFT, once created, is sent to their wallet, and they receive a confirmation of the successful transaction.
A Walletless Login with Google OAuth
- Mobile endpoint: Google Firebase, Web endpoint: /users/walletlessLogin
- User signs in via Google OAuth to allow for a familiar and easy-to-use process
- On successful authentication, Google provides a token which is passed to the backend
- The backend validates this token with Google’s servers, retrieves user details and the associated wallet address
- Users are logged in and presented with their dashboard depending on if they are a worker scanning tags in the manufacturing * process or a consumer validating the authenticity of their product and the supply chain
Registering a New Item
- Endpoint: POST /items/register
- Workers or manufacturers can register a new luxury items
- This registers and assigns the NFC tag on the item to a unique ID
Updating the Item’s Stage in the Supply Chain
- Endpoint: POST /items/{itemID}/updateStage
- As the item progresses through various stages (e.g. manufacturing, quality check, packaging) the associated NFC tag is scanned using the iOS app.
- Each scan updates the item's stage and records relevant data (like timestamp, location, and worker details).
- This data is logged on the Vechain Thor blockchain
Checking the Item’s History
- Endpoint: GET /items/{itemID}/history
- Anyone can retrieve the complete history of an item using its unique ID.
- For non FibreTag members or workers they can request a paid API key to access this endpoint and validate any items data.
- The history fetched from the VeChain blockchain provides a transparent record of the item's journey.
User Purchases an Item
- If the user purchases an item from the luxury store, upon successful payment the transaction provides a unique payment ID.
Minting the NFT Digital Twin
- Endpoint: POST /items/generateNFT
- Once the payment is confirmed the backend receives a notification to mint a new NFT.
- The backend interacts with the Vechain Thor blockchain via the vechain.energy-API, instructing it to mint an NFT associated with the payment ID.
- This NFT acts as a digital twin, representing the authenticity and ownership of the physical luxury item.
- Once minted the NFT is sent directly to the user;s wallet associated with their Google account
https://github.com/nkoorty/Fitag
MVP was submitted for the EasyA x vechain hackathon, however, significant changes will be made to the MVP in terms of expanding on the core functionalities of what was previously known as FiTag. While the general design will be similar, the tracking and verification aspect is going to be the main focus of FibreTag.
IYK (https://iyk.app/)
IYK is an invite-only platform to provide consumers with “IYK modules” that act as tags that one can attach to physical clothing items in order to create a phygital representation of said clothing item.
IYK focuses on the consumer of the clothing, hence, while FibreTag heavily focuses on the transparency of the supply chain and how both brands and users alike can increase brand trust and loyalty, respectively.
DRESSX (https://dressx.com)
DRESSX is a digital fashion platform where users can purchase and wear digital-only clothing items on their photos or in augmented reality, aiming to provide a sustainable alternative to fast fashion by reducing the physical production of garments.
Unlike FibreTag, DRESSX primarily emphasises the concept of digital fashion and its environmental benefits. FibreTag, on the other hand, offers a comprehensive view of a product's journey through the use of blockchain and NFC technologies, ensuring transparency and combating counterfeits in the luxury fashion market, while also providing the physical item. Furthermore, with FibreTag's unique NFT digital twin system, it not only guarantees the product's authenticity but also promotes unparalleled transparency for both brands and users.
- Name of Team Leader: Jeevan Jutla
- Name of Team Member: Artemiy Malyshau
Jeevan Jutla: Jeevan is a security engineer at Binance who has worked in the blockchain industry for 2 years. Jeevan has recently graduated from King's College London with a First Class Honors in Electronic Engineering and won several blockchain hackathons (vechain, Tezos, Polkadot, etc).
Artemiy Malyshau: Artemiy is a postgraduate Imperial College London studying CS & Engineering. Artemiy has recently graduated from King's College London with a First Class Honors in Electronic Engineering and has worked at crypto start-ups based in Austria and won a variety of hackathons, ranging from Web2 (IC Hack 23, biggest hackathon in the UK) to Web3 (vechainTezos, ImmutableX, Polkadot).
- https://github.com/jjjutla/Melobyte
- https://github.com/jjjutla/Corda-CBDC-Backend
- https://github.com/nkoorty/rl_parking
- https://github.com/nkoorty/ICHack23
- Jeevan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeevan-jutla/
- Artemiy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artemiy-malyshau/
| Milestone 1 | Milestone 2 | Milestone 3 | Milestone 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated Duration | 20 d | 60 d | 45 d | 10d | 135d |
| Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 1 | 2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 5 |
| Cost (up to $ 30,000) | $ 3,500 | $ 14,500 | $ 8,500 | $ 2,500 | $ 30,000 |
| Number | Deliverable | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Report | Create clear and concise requirements for blockchain integration, product tracking, transparent sustainability metrics, and technical implementation |
| 2 | Designs | Design UI/UX and system based on market research and necessary requirements set out by consumers and brands |
| 3 | Report | Review pain points of consumers and brands based on ecosystem fit, by discussing with luxury brands |
| Number | Deliverable | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smart contracts | Develop the tracking smart contract, include functions for comprehensive product lifecycle management, implement stringent access controls to ensure only authorized users can perform actions, and construct a secure transfer mechanism to automate NFT ownership transfers upon product sales |
| 2 | Smart contracts | Develop digital twin NFT contract for the item and bridge with vechain.energy API |
| 3 | Backend | Integrate the contract into a backend to handle the NFT minting/burning upon payment and use a payment processor like Stripe to manage finances and notify the backend of transactions |
| 4 | Frontend | Develop initial prototype for the iOS app. Creating specialized code integrations for Google OAuth, efficient NFC read/write, and backend networking integration using native Swift library Combine |
| 5 | Backend | Create REST API infrastructure with custom endpoints for users on mobile devices and brands utilizing a web frontend |
| 6 | Frontend | Develop web frontend for brands to use in order to visaulise transaction data |
| 7 | Report | Revise prototype based on feedback from vechain team |
| Number | Deliverable | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Report | Incorporate feedback from the vechain team |
| 2 | Codebase | Revising iOS and Web prototypes based on feedback and respective UI tests (XCTests for Swift/XCode, unit tests for Web) |
| 3 | Tests | Ensure reliable and safe integration of backend, including pen-testing and relevant stress-testing |
| 4 | Marketing | Finalize marketing plans for consumers and pitches for brands to integrate into their supply chains |
| Number | Deliverable | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tests | Conduct, if necessary, final UI/UX tests and infrastructure tests if any pain points are detected. Patch any unnoticed or previously undetected errors |
| 2 | Deployment | Deploy iOS app to the Apple App Store, ensure that App Store Connect Team approves the app without any unexpected issues |
| 3 | Marketing | Roll out marketing plans for both consumers and brands based on outlined market strategy |
To increase the platform's value proposition we aim to forge partnerships with more luxury brands. This not only expands our target audience but also establishes FibreTag as the industry standard solution for luxury item authentication
Leveraging advancements in Apple’s ARKit technology we plan to offer more immersive experiences for users and bridge the gap to the metaverse. We aim to tackle the problem of extreme waste in clothes by allowing the user to try on and view luxury items in real time interacting in 3D space.
To verify the validity of the supply chain we aim to use machine learning to plan to develop algorithms that can detect anomalous patterns or potential fraudulent activities within the platform.
Beyond being a verification tool and middleman to the luxury brand, FibreTag will evolve into an integrated marketplace where users can buy and sell authenticated luxury items in the app. This will help promote a circular economy within the fashion industry further reducing waste.
This project was initially built for the vechain x EasyA hackathon held at Harvard University, where it finished 1st for the BCG track. For the purpose of this application, the project scope has been updated and adjusted accordingly in order to reflect a clear unique selling point (USP), and product market fit (PMF). Additionally, the infrastructure plans for both backend and frontend have been significantly improved.