eBay has acquired Certilogo, a company that creates AI-powered digital IDs and authentication for apparel and has been used to verify supply chains in the promotional and printwear markets. The deal will help consumers confirm the authenticity of secondhand fashion in eBay’s marketplace and access other reliable information about items.

Certilogo will continue to be led by CEO Michele Casucci; financial terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.

Based in Milan, Certilogo uses digital technology to empower brands and designers to manage the lifecycle of their garments, while giving customers an easy way to engage with their favorite brands and easily activate circular services.

“Through this acquisition, eBay will be able to offer brands secure, connected product solutions that are both flexible and compatible,” said Charis Marquez, vice president at eBay. “Brands will also be able to protect their customers from counterfeits and engage in recommerce through counterfeit-proof digital product passports.”

Casucci noted that the new partnership “will unlock opportunities for consumers and brands to connect” and spur the growth of the circular economy. “Our team is ready to get right to work incorporating our technology and infrastructure and ensuring a seamless transition for our customers, brand partners and the entire eBay community towards a more sustainable, connected future,” he added.

Indeed, incorporating QR codes, digital passports and other technology has been a crucial step in improving the circularity of apparel and other products. Verifying an product’s authenticity is also a key component in sustainability: “In our opinion, anyone who claims they sell sustainable products should be able to prove their product is authentic,” Rossella Munafò, head of sales and marketing at Certilogo, has said. “Otherwise, the message loses all meaning. … Authenticity is a hygiene factor for sustainability.”

Certilogo’s technology has already been used in the promotional products and apparel space. Toasty Hemp Co., a brand that debuted earlier this year at Impressions Expo in Atlantic City, partnered with Certilogo to help verify and trace its supply chain. Each of its blank hemp tees includes a QR code on the tag that end-users can scan to activate the company’s 120-day guarantee, get hemp care tips and find information on the product’s origins and lifecycle.

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