Chain of custody for tattoo supplies
Track inks, needles, and cartridges from manufacturer through distributor to studio session. Modeled after cannabis seed-to-sale systems, built for EU REACH and incoming FDA MoCRA compliance.
Article 33 already requires manufacturers to track and communicate substance information. Studios need proof of compliance.
The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation is setting mandatory supply chain traceability for cosmetics — tattoo ink is next.
Without a chain, manufacturers can't notify downstream studios of contaminated lots, and studios can't identify affected clients.
Publish lot data: ID, product, produced date, expiry.
Log transfer: receive lots, track inventory, downstream visibility.
Log session: which lots were used in today's appointment.
Consent form: client signs, chain closes, traceability complete.
Publish lot data via webhook. Receive recall broadcasts. Demonstrate regulatory compliance to distributors and regulatory bodies.
$99–$199/month. Downstream lot visibility, recall query API, one-click downstream notifications. Competitive edge with studios.
Free tier. Consent form feeds the chain automatically. No extra data entry. Regulatory compliance built in.
Starting point
A tattoo client gets a tattoo from an artist at a studio. They sign a Release Form documenting which specific inks and needles were used in their session. The artist has a paper trail proving what they used. The studio has a historical record — even if the artist leaves, the traceability remains.
Six months later: The ink manufacturer discovers contamination and broadcasts a recall. The studio looks up the affected lot in their Release Forms and instantly identifies which client had that ink. Direct notification to the affected client — no guessing.
Key actors: Client, Artist, Studio, Release Form
Full chain
A manufacturer publishes a batch of Black Ink (INK-2024-Q1-001, 500 bottles). A distributor receives and logs the transfer. Studio A orders 50 bottles. Artist X at Studio A uses ink in sessions and creates Release Forms documenting which lots were used.
Months later, if the manufacturer discovers contamination and recalls that lot, they trace: Manufacturer → Distributor → Studio A → Artist X → specific clients who signed Release Forms → direct notification to affected clients.
Key actors: Manufacturer, Distributor, Studio, Artist, Client
Open standard
BatchPath is an open chain-of-custody specification. Anyone can implement it. The spec defines entities, events, and queries — not a proprietary platform. Manufacturers, distributors, studios, and third-party developers build on the standard.
View spec v0.1BatchPath's data model and event architecture are adapted from Metrc, the cannabis seed-to-sale tracking system used across US regulated markets. The core insight: supply chain traceability is infrastructure, not proprietary IP. Same principle applies to tattoo supplies under REACH and MoCRA.