Innovation That Matters

Labels for kids' gear use codes to track lost items online

Work & Lifestyle

We’ve seen myriad tech-enabled lost and found services in recent years, most of them aimed at protecting expensive and hard-to-replace gear. Bringing the concept into a realm where the goods may be less valuable but the losses more frequent, Canadian Oliver’s Labels offers labels for kids’ items along with an online lost and found. Toronto-based Oliver’s Labels sells a wide variety of name labels in multiple colourful styles, designs, formats and sizes. As an alternative to including personal information like phone numbers or addresses, however, Oliver’s gives its customers the free option of printing a 9-digit tracking system code on their labels that links them with the labeled item via the company’s “Found-it” system. For customers who choose to include it, the Found-it system allows finders of lost items to go to a special page on the Oliver’s website and enter the code printed on the label. Oliver’s then matches the code with the owner of the item and sends an email notification to that person, thereby acting as an intermediary between the owner and the finder so personal details need never be shared. A package of 60 Oliver’s iron-on clothing labels is priced at USD 19.99. As anyone who’s ever spent any time with children knows, lost items are a recurring fact of life–as is the need to protect personal information. With benefits toward both ends, Oliver’s Labels seeks agents to sell its products, which are also available for fundraising purposes. One to get involved in… or to emulate in your part of the world? (Related: Global search engine for items lost and found, rewards includedWorldwide bicycle registration schemeLost & found in the 21st century.) Spotted by: Bill McMahon

Email: info@oliverslabels.com

Website: www.oliverslabels.com

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