The WEF is pushing for digital IDs to be sewn into people’s clothes to ‘save the planet’ by transitioning from buying to renting clothes to reduce waste.

“This start-up gives clothes digital IDs to help the planet. EON creates online digital passports for garments enabling brands to sell their clothing, again and again, creating more sustainable business models,” a video from the World Economic Forum begins.

The WEF continues, saying that companies will then be able to actively track the clothing they sell, which brings up innumerable privacy concerns not addressed by the Forum.

“The CircularID also lets rands follow garments over their entire life cycle from production to sale and resale, reuse, or recycling.”

The WEF says this is essential, as “fashion” is apparently “one of the world’s most polluting industries.” Thus, companies should be allowed to track their clothes and the wearers, presumably so they can conduct dumpster dives for thrown-out clothing or provide clothing repair and resale services.

“Textiles generate 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions — more than shipping and aviation combined,” the WEF continues. 

They add that in the future, such technology will enable companies to transition from selling an ownable product to a rentable product, simultaneously reducing consumers from owners to renters. As the saying goes, “You will own nothing. And you will be happy.”

“57% of old clothes end up in a landfill. This is because brands depend on sales of new clothing. Once the product is sold, they no longer make any money. But digitally connected products open up new, greener ways of profiting, such as rental, repair, and styling, reducing the production of new garments,” explains the WEF.

“5 of the world’s top 20 brands are on board,” the WEF proclaims. “Working with Microsoft, EON aims to bring billions of garments online by 2025.”