“Context Is King:” How Tech, Traceability, and Tenacity Are Redefining Fashion
Photo Caption:
Brett Blalock, Founder, InfiNFTy
When I interviewed Brett Blalock, founder of InfiNFTy, I did not just learn about blockchain or digital product passports. I discovered what it truly means to connect innovation with integrity. Blalock’s company helps fashion brands bridge the gap between style and supply chain systems by giving garments their own digital identities, allowing companies to trace each product’s journey from fiber to finished piece.
With a background in finance and real estate, Blalock never planned to end up in fashion technology. “Although I don’t really use finance and real estate much now, it helped me understand business from the ground up,” Blalock said. His transition started when he realized financial data alone wasn’t enough. “To provide great analysis, I needed to learn data,” he said, and that decision changed his career.
From Finance to Fashion Tech
Blalock’s professional path took a pivotal turn while working for Feather, a furniture-rental company focused on keeping furniture out of landfills. “That was my first foray into the circular economy,” he said. “It taught me how to track materials throughout their life cycle.” What began with furniture soon translated to fashion, an industry facing similar challenges with waste, overproduction, and traceability.
He later launched InfiNFTy, a platform that helps fashion brands use blockchain and digital IDs to build transparency and comply with growing sustainability regulations. “Every day is different,” Blalock explained. “Some weeks I focus on sales and outreach, other weeks I’m making sure the platform meets our customers’ needs.”
The freedom of being a solo founder comes with challenges too. “You wear all the hats,” he said with a laugh. “Sales one day, tech the next. It’s rewarding, but it can stretch you thin.”
Blalock’s comments highlight the reality of entrepreneurship in the fashion technology space. Balancing creativity, leadership, and technical problem-solving often requires constant adaptation. His experience demonstrates how versatility and resilience are essential traits for founders navigating both the creative and operational sides of innovation.
The Future of Fashion: Regulation Meets Innovation
When asked where he sees fashion heading, Blalock emphasized one thing above all: regulation. “Regulation is going to be a big driver for the next five to ten years,” he said. He pointed to upcoming policies like the European Union Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and California’s SB 707, which require companies to design more durable, repairable, and traceable products. “Traceability isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore - it’s compliance,” Blalock said.
He also believes technology will make circularity possible. Blockchain, he explained, “creates an auditable record of where a product came from.” Artificial intelligence will soon help with sorting fibers for recycling, while digital product passports will connect customers directly to a garment’s story – where it was made, how to repair it, and even how to resell it.
Another key theme was Blalock’s realistic understanding of how consumers behave – recognizing that people don’t always make purchasing decisions based solely on sustainability or innovation, but on convenience, price, and trust. “While younger consumers care about sustainability, when it comes to paying for it, many still choose the cheaper option,” Blalock said, which is why he believes real change will come from regulation and from brands building value through honesty, not just marketing.
Advice for the Next Generation
When asked what skills would be best for student to develop, Blalock’s response was both practical and inspiring: “Learn enough tech to be dangerous.” Blalock explained that students should understand tools like AI without feeling we must become coders, and more importantly, he emphasized soft skills including communication, taking initiative, and relationship-building.
Blalock encouraged students to take initiative in their work environments. He advised them to “go beyond what’s asked. If your manager asks for a report, include the insights they didn’t know they needed. That’s how you stand out.” His comment underscored the value of critical thinking and proactive problem-solving in today’s competitive fashion and tech industries.
He also stressed that AI is changing entry-level work. “Now that automation handles so much, you have to bring context – real-world understanding and creative thinking. Context is king,” Blalock said.
Reflection and Takeaways
What struck me most was Blalock’s balanced view of technology and humanity. He does not chase innovation for its own sake; he uses it to make fashion accountable. Our conversation made me rethink what kind of professional I want to become – someone who combines creativity, empathy, and technology to help brands evolve responsibly.
Blalock’s best advice – “learn enough to be dangerous” and “context is king” – stayed with me long after our interview ended. They continue to remind me that sustainability and technology are partners, not competitors. Whether I work on the brand side, developing sustainable strategies, or one day at a tech company building tools for traceability, I will carry this mindset forward.
The big takeaway: The future of fashion belongs to those who can connect innovation with intention.
The views and/or opinions in this article are those of the individuals interviewed. The academic achievements and/or employment outcomes described in this article are specific to each individual and are not a guarantee of similar results for past or current students. For up-to-date and detailed information, please visit BerkeleyCollege.edu and view our catalogs at BerkeleyCollege.edu/publications.
