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Smartcaps: Fashion and smart solutions for media services and features

Smartcaps, with an integrated NFC chip, creates new ways of communication and services. From the back-end to the front-end, Internet of Things (IoT) can offer customized messages without using paper for a more sustainable and green way.

Smartcaps are real design objects but also talking products, able to communicate with consumers through their smartphones in a simple and intuitive way. In the world of Fashion and Luxury, this extra bit of IoT technology opens the door to more forward-looking marketing. The NFC chip integrated in the cap allows you to upload diversified informations along with the traceability of each individual product and service communications.

Smartcaps: how they work and why they make the difference

Whether it's a perfume, a spirit, wine or a liqueur, the unique radiofrequency identification integrated in the smartcap enables smart packaging, allowing brands to enhance the sharing of informations in an end-to-end way. The data entered in the chip allows you to certify in real time the uniqueness, originality and authenticity of each individual product, thus protecting brands and consumers from counterfeiting from the blackmarket. The extra bonus? NFC technology can be used to offer a new service also to the front end, the final consumers, as well.

Smartcaps that contain precious messages

When a customer buys a present, the salesman in the shop can insert a customized text message on the chip, by using a dedicated app (both for Android and iOS). Any other type of cross-media message can be transcribed on the chip: a text message, a link to an image or illustration, but also entire digital product sheets, links to web pages, videos on Youtube and so on. By doing this the cap becomes as precious as a diamond, containing a long-lasting message. For producers and distributors, this opportunity bypasses the need to print flyers or paper brochures with a nod to a paperless philosophy, which is significantly more sustainable and green.

A button factory with commitment to looking far ahead

Smartcaps has been created by CAPS & FASHION, a branch of Bottonificio Corna & Fratus, a historic brand in fashion industry for over forty years. The company was founded in 1976 by PierLuigi Corna, in Castelli Calepio, a small town just a few miles far from Bergamo, in the middle of the "Button Valley", so called due to the high concentration of button factories during the '70s and '80s.

From buttons to Smartcaps

"For over 40 years our production has focused on the world of clothing, with the production of buttons, buckles and other accessories in resin" says Rinaldo Frattini, sales manager of CAPS & FASHION. "Recently the company has merged hisexperience, professionalism and creativity, identifying extremely sophisticated design, processing and production techniques in a new production line of caps for several uses. The idea that came to us a few years ago was to turn a simple cap into a smart object by integrating an NFC chip in a patented line. The goal? Making a luxury product unique and immediately recognizable, enhancing communication levels. The integration of an initialized, or virgin, NFC chip inside the cap allows producers and distributors to upload diversified information. The proposal was very popular but the complexity of more advanced information management requires brands to have a dedicated infrastructure. Therefore we've entered into a partnership with Tracetoo, a system integrator specialized in fighting counterfeiting and in Iot technology....

Written by Laura Zanotti - Source: Industry4business.it continue reading