The Global Fibre Impact Explorer encourages manufacturers and fashion brands to upload their fibre portfolios. Each fibre is given an overall score, ranking its environmental impact in terms of its risk to air pollution, climate, water usage and quality, forest and biodiversity. Complex data gathered from reputable sources such as Google Earth Engine and the World Bank form the backbone of this tool.

The user can explore the risks associated with their fibre portfolios to a more granular level, thanks to up-to-date, local data from Google’s Earth Engine and other third-party data sources. Global experts from an external council, including the WWF, Canopy, Conservation International, FSC, IUCN, Textile Exchange and The Biodiversity Consultancy have reviewed the methodology.

The tool also gives brands the information needed to improve the rating of their fibres portfolio, including partnering with local communities. A range of leading brands and retailers have tested the platform.

We managed the process from design concept to MVP, developing an elegant and easy-to-use cloud-based product which combines Google Cloud’s technical capabilities with the WWF’s unparalleled conservation expertise.

It was crucial that buyers could access all the information they needed to make decisions for their brands. By using standout colours and design and a simple traffic light system, users are drawn to the information that will make a difference not only to the coming season’s clothes but to the future of the fashion industry, in which 70 per cent of the environmental impact occurs at the earliest stages of the supply chain.

From its origins as a passion project within Google and the WWF, the Global Fibre Impact Explorer began to take shape when Beyond was hired to accelerate the design and build of the platform. We took these complex data sets and made them usable, providing the design and technical expertise to bring Google’s vision to life.