TRACE: How to Communicate Information between Brands and Consumers
Kaitlyn Chen
trace is a brand transparency certification system designed to close the gap between what brands disclose and what consumers can actually understand. By making accountability visual, standardized, and embedded into the moments consumers already encounter, trace reframes transparency not as a marketing strategy, but as a communication system.
trace is your partner for understanding a brand's internal values
trace is an interactive system that helps people explore the hidden decisions behind everyday products, from where materials come from to what happens after use.
trace Brand Guideline
To communicate this system clearly, I developed a brand visual that is minimal and structured, using liquid glass to bring the idea of transparency directly into the branding.
trace's Five Frameworks
trace is a system that has 5 levels for each framework: • where and how the materials are sourced • how the workers are treated • what’s the durability and end-of-life solutions for the products • the actions brands do to show their responsibility • the certificate programs brands are getting to verify their actions
Website Feature 01: Brand Profiles
Each profile includes an animated trace wheel that shows the level a brand achieves in each framework. Below the wheel, users can see deeper data analysis, evidence notes, and external links to sources such as reports or other third-party evaluations.
Website Feature 02: Digital Card Game
Designed mainly for companies and brands, it helps them understand how they are being evaluated by the trace system.