Can you introduce yourself?
Hello, my name is Anne-Laurence Villemonteil and I am the co-founder of ViJi, a startup dedicated to the traceability and promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) actions in the fashion/textile/apparel sector. Our job is to collect CSR data from various stakeholders in the textile supply chain, structure it, and authenticate it to support fashion brands and their suppliers in achieving ever-increasing transparency. We have also developed two consumer solutions: a smartphone application that provides access to CSR information on fashion items in stores with a barcode scan, and a plug-in on the e-commerce websites of participating brands that provides access to the same information with one click during online purchases. For those who are unfamiliar with you, could you explain how your service offering directly aligns with the Ministry’s public policies? The convergence of two major peaceful revolutions, the digital revolution and the ecological transition, offers tremendous potential for innovation and growth for our economies and societies.One of ViJi’s objectives is to transform what can be seen as legislative constraints (Fashion Pact, Duty of Vigilance Law, Law on the Fight against Waste and the Circular Economy – environmental labeling, ban on burning stocks) into opportunities for the benefit of stakeholders in the fashion/textile/apparel ecosystem. In this context, ViJi develops ambitious, innovative, and sustainable technologies, methodologies, and services that promote the establishment of resilient infrastructure, industrialization, and sustainable consumption that benefits everyone.
VIJI What have been your recent successes in implementing your project?
Since our solutions began commercialization in June 2020, we now have 37 ViJi member brands that trust us to collect their CSR information. We have seen a real appeal for our solutions and are currently improving them to make them even more effective and easier to use. We develop our solutions based on the needs of our members and partners.
We operate in a spirit of collaboration and neutrality, for the benefit of all stakeholders in the ecosystem.
ViJiTrack platform
ViJiClic plugin What are the upcoming challenges your startup/SME is likely to face? Our ambition is to be
the leading solution for traceability within the textile, fashion, and apparel industry.
expand our services to factories. We also need to forge new partnerships with institutions, inspection offices, certification bodies, and labels to continue expanding our authentication capabilities.
In the medium term, we hope to be able to automate all processes and open ViJi to all stakeholders in the ecosystem. VIJI How have you adapted to the current economic and health crisis?
We launched ViJi during the lockdown, so ViJi is “making do.”
The economic crisis that accompanies the current health crisis is obviously hindering our development in the sense that many brands have been financially weakened and their priorities are sometimes disrupted. However, the lockdown can be seen as an opportunity for solutions like ViJi because the Transparency, traceability, and CSR commitments are key differentiators for boosting brand activity during this challenging time.
