String is an online platform, where organisations in the extended supply chain can share selected information related to the products they make with the customers who buy them.

How does it work?

Every company that uses the String platform records information about their product, including the suppliers they use, the processes they run and the finished products they make. They use their usual batch or lot numbers and production records to complete this data, and then send the data to their customer via String when the products are shipped. String links all of these pieces of data together to form one long product history.

Push Method: If the brand already knows each supplier in their supply chain, for example when they are dealing with differentiated products like organic or fair trade, the data entry can happen in real time. The primary producer records their information into String and sends it to their customer, who records their data and sends it on... and so on, until it reaches the brand or retailer

Pull Method: The pull method is used when the brand or retailer only has a relationship with their immediate suppliers. In this case, they can issue a Request for Data (RFD) to their supplier, requesting data about the products they supply to them. The supplier can then record their own data, and if they have the information requested by their customer they can include this. If not, they can 'pass on' the RFD to their supplier, and so on until the requested data is found and returned to the brand or retailer.

How much does it cost?

Find out more about String pricing