WeMush Open Labeling Standard

📖 Read on GitHub: github.com/wemush/open-standard

📦 Previous Versions: GitHub Releases

Version: 1.2.0
Date: January 26, 2026
Author: Amy Beacom, Mark Beacom, WeMush Foundation

The WOLS specification and reference libraries are open source.

The WeMush Platform (which implements WOLS) is proprietary but offers a generous free tier.

This model ensures:

✅ Interoperability (anyone can support WOLS)
✅ Innovation (companies can build competing platforms)
✅ Sustainability (WeMush can fund development)

Executive Summary

The WeMush Open Labeling Standard (WOLS) is an open-source specification for encoding cultivation specimen data in machine-readable QR codes. WOLS enables:

Traceability: Complete lineage tracking from culture to harvest
Interoperability: Vendor-agnostic data exchange between platforms
Transparency: Verifiable cultivation practices for circular food systems
Privacy: Cryptographic options for sensitive research data

This standard is designed for mushroom cultivation but extensible to any biological specimen tracking application.

Design Principles

Open by Default: No licensing fees, no vendor lock-in
Privacy-Preserving: Support for both public and encrypted data
Extensible: Custom fields without breaking compatibility
Offline-First: QR codes work without internet connectivity
Research-Grade: Sufficient detail for scientific reproducibility

Core Data Model

Specimen Object (Core)

The foundational entity representing a biological specimen at any stage of cultivation. WOLS uses JSON-LD format for semantic web interoperability.

typescript

interface SpecimenLabel {
  // JSON-LD Context (Required)
  "@context": string;            // Schema URL: "https://wemush.com/wols/v1"
  "@type": string;               // Entity type: "Specimen"

  // Required Fields
  id: string;                    // Unique identifier with wemush: prefix (e.g., "wemush:clx1a2b3c4")
  version: string;               // Spec version (e.g., "1.2.0")
  type: SpecimenType;            // CULTURE | SPAWN | SUBSTRATE | FRUITING | HARVEST
  species: string;               // Scientific name (e.g., "Pleurotus ostreatus")

  // Taxonomy & Genetics
  strain?: {
    name: string;                // Strain name or identifier
    generation?: string;         // Filial generation (e.g., "F1", "F2", "P")
    clonalGeneration?: number;   // Subculture/clone count (e.g., 1, 2, 3...)
    lineage?: string;            // Parent specimen ID reference
    source?: string;             // "spore", "tissue", "agar", "liquid"
  };

  // Lifecycle Tracking
  stage: GrowthStage;            // INOCULATION | INCUBATION | COLONIZATION | PRIMORDIA | FRUITING | SENESCENCE | HARVEST
  created: string;               // ISO 8601 timestamp
  batch?: string;                // Associated batch identifier

  // Attribution
  organization?: string;         // Organization ID
  creator?: string;              // User ID (optional for privacy)

  // Extensibility
  custom?: Record<string, any>; // Vendor-specific extensions

  // Implementation Metadata (v1.2.0)
  _meta?: {
    sourceId?: string;           // Original ID from source system
    sourceSystem?: string;       // Identifier of importing system
    importedAt?: string;         // ISO 8601 import timestamp
    schemaVersion?: string;      // Source system schema version
    [key: string]: unknown;      // Extensible for implementation use
  };

  // Verification (Optional)
  signature?: string;            // Cryptographic signature for authenticity
}

Specimen Types

typescript

enum SpecimenType {
  CULTURE = "CULTURE",         // Agar, liquid culture
  SPAWN = "SPAWN",             // Grain spawn, sawdust spawn
  SUBSTRATE = "SUBSTRATE",     // Inoculated substrate
  FRUITING = "FRUITING",       // Fruiting block/bag
  HARVEST = "HARVEST",         // Harvested mushrooms
}

enum GrowthStage {
  INOCULATION = "INOCULATION",   // Initial inoculation of substrate/medium
  INCUBATION = "INCUBATION",     // Post-inoculation monitoring period (v1.2.0)
  COLONIZATION = "COLONIZATION", // Active mycelial colonization
  PRIMORDIA = "PRIMORDIA",       // Pin initiation stage (v1.2.0)
  FRUITING = "FRUITING",         // Active fruiting body development
  SENESCENCE = "SENESCENCE",     // End-of-life/declining productivity (v1.2.0)
  HARVEST = "HARVEST",           // Harvested mushrooms
}

Type Aliases (v1.2.0)

Implementations SHOULD support common type aliases to improve usability:

Alias	Canonical Type
LIQUID_CULTURE, LC, AGAR, PETRI, SLANT, CULTURE_PLATE	CULTURE
GRAIN_SPAWN, SAWDUST_SPAWN, PLUG_SPAWN, DOWEL	SPAWN
BLOCK, BAG, BED, LOG, BUCKET	SUBSTRATE
FLUSH, PINNING, FRUIT, FIRST_FLUSH	FRUITING
FRESH, DRIED, PROCESSED, EXTRACT	HARVEST

Note: PRIMORDIA is a GrowthStage value (not a SpecimenType), representing the pin initiation phase. A FRUITING type specimen progresses through stages including PRIMORDIA → FRUITING → SENESCENCE. Implementations MUST reject PRIMORDIA as a specimen type and SHOULD provide a helpful error message directing users to use stage: "PRIMORDIA" instead.

Custom aliases can be registered via library functions. Alias resolution is case-insensitive.

Extended Growth Stages (v1.2.0)

WOLS v1.2.0 introduces research-grade lifecycle tracking with 7 growth stages:

Stage	Description	Typical Duration	Key Observations
INOCULATION	Initial introduction of spawn/culture to substrate	Day 0	Inoculation date, spawn rate, technique
INCUBATION	Post-inoculation rest period before visible growth	1-7 days	Temperature, humidity, contamination watch
COLONIZATION	Active mycelial growth through substrate	2-6 weeks	Colonization %, growth rate, vigor
PRIMORDIA	Pin initiation and early fruit body formation	3-10 days	Pin count, distribution, environmental triggers
FRUITING	Active fruit body development and maturation	5-14 days	Size, morphology, flush number
SENESCENCE	Declining productivity, end-of-life phase	Variable	Yield decline, contamination risk, disposal
HARVEST	Mushrooms harvested and processed	N/A	Yield weight, quality grade, storage

Scientific Rationale:

INCUBATION vs COLONIZATION: Incubation is the initial rest period where spawn recovers from inoculation stress; colonization is active hyphal extension. Research protocols often track these separately.
PRIMORDIA vs FRUITING: Primordia formation (pinning) is a distinct morphological event triggered by environmental changes. Separating this allows researchers to correlate environmental parameters with pin initiation.
SENESCENCE: Tracking end-of-life allows yield optimization studies and substrate reuse research.

Backward Compatibility: v1.0/v1.1 parsers will accept specimens with new stages but may not recognize them. Implementations SHOULD handle unknown stages gracefully.

Generation Notation (v1.2.0)

The strain.generation field accepts multiple formats:

Format	Example	Description
Filial	F1, F2, F3	Preferred notation
Parental	P, P1	Parent/original culture
Generational	G1, G2, G3	Alternative notation
Numeric	1, 2, 3	Simplified format

Implementations SHOULD normalize to filial notation (F{n}) by default.

ID Format Options (v1.2.0)

The id field MUST start with wemush: prefix. The suffix format is flexible:

Mode	Pattern	Example
Default	wemush:[a-z0-9]+	wemush:clx1a2b3c4
ULID	wemush:{ULID}	wemush:01ARZ3NDEKTSV4RRFFQ69G5FAV
UUID	wemush:{UUID}	wemush:550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000

Implementations MUST accept any non-empty suffix after wemush: prefix.

QR Code Encoding

Format Options

WOLS supports three encoding formats optimized for different use cases:

1. Compact Format (Recommended for Small Labels)

Use Case: Petri dishes, small bags, culture tubes Data Limit: 500 bytes (alphanumeric QR code)

bash

wemush://v1/{id}?s={species_code}&st={stage}&t={timestamp}

Example:

bash

wemush://v1/clx1a2b3c4?s=POSTR&st=COLONIZATION&t=1734307200

Resolution: Full data retrieved via API endpoint:

bash

GET https://api.wemush.com/v1/specimens/clx1a2b3c4

2. Embedded Format (Recommended for Most Applications)

Use Case: Substrate bags, fruiting blocks, labels with space Data Limit: 2,000 bytes (binary QR code)

Embedded format uses JSON-LD for semantic interoperability:

json

{
  "@context": "https://wemush.com/wols/v1",
  "@type": "Specimen",
  "id": "wemush:clx1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "type": "SUBSTRATE",
  "species": "Pleurotus ostreatus",
  "strain": {
    "name": "Blue Oyster PoHu",
    "generation": "F2",
    "clonalGeneration": 3
  },
  "stage": "COLONIZATION",
  "created": "2025-12-16T10:30:00Z",
  "batch": "batch_2025_12_001",
  "organization": "org_mushoh"
}

Size: ~380 bytes — well within QR capacity with error correction level M

3. Encrypted Format (Research/Commercial)

Use Case: Proprietary strains, sensitive research Encryption: AES-256-GCM with shared key or public key

bash

wemush://v1/encrypted/{id}?e={encrypted_payload}&sig={signature}

Extended Data Fields

Environmental Conditions

Track cultivation parameters for optimization:

typescript

interface EnvironmentalData {
  temperature?: {
    value: number;              // Celsius or Fahrenheit
    unit: "C" | "F";            // Unit for temperature
    timestamp: string;          // ISO 8601
  };
  humidity?: {
    value: number;              // Percentage
    timestamp: string;
  };
  co2?: {
    value: number;              // PPM
    timestamp: string;
  };
  light?: {
    spectrum?: string[];        // ["red", "blue", "white"]
    intensity?: number;         // Lux
    photoperiod?: number;       // Hours
  };
}

Substrate Composition

For reproducibility and optimization:

typescript

interface SubstrateFormula {
  components: Array<{
    ingredient: string;         // "hardwood sawdust", "wheat bran", etc.
    percentage: number;         // By dry weight
    supplier?: string;          // Optional supplier tracking
  }>;
  hydration?: number;           // Moisture percentage
  supplementation?: number;     // Percentage of supplements
  sterilization?: {
    method: string;             // "autoclave", "pasteurization"
    temperature: number;        // Celsius or Fahrenheit
    unit: "C" | "F";            // Unit for temperature
    duration: number;           // Minutes
    timestamp: string;
  };
}

Circular Economy Integration

Track waste streams and sustainability:

typescript

interface CircularEconomyData {
  wasteSource?: {
    type: "BREWERY" | "RESTAURANT" | "FARM" | "COFFEE_SHOP";
    partnerId?: string;
    collectionDate?: string;
    composition?: string[];     // ["spent grain", "coffee grounds"]
  };
  sustainability?: {
    carbonOffset?: number;      // kg CO2e
    wasteUtilized?: number;     // kg
    localSourcing?: boolean;
  };
}

Implementation Guide

Generating QR Codes

Recommended Libraries:

JavaScript/TypeScript: qrcode npm package
Python: qrcode or python-qrcode
Go: github.com/skip2/go-qrcode

Example (TypeScript):

typescript

import { createSpecimen, toQRCodeDataURL } from '@wemush/wols';

async function generateSpecimenLabel(): Promise<string> {
  const specimen = createSpecimen({
    type: 'SUBSTRATE',
    species: 'Pleurotus ostreatus',
    strain: 'Blue Oyster',
    stage: 'COLONIZATION',
  });

  // Generate QR code as data URL
  const qrDataUrl = await toQRCodeDataURL(specimen, {
    size: 300,
    errorCorrection: 'M',
  });

  return qrDataUrl;
}

Scanning & Parsing

Mobile Integration:

typescript

import { parseSpecimen, parseCompactUrl } from '@wemush/wols';
import { BrowserQRCodeReader } from '@zxing/browser';

async function scanSpecimenLabel() {
  const codeReader = new BrowserQRCodeReader();
  const result = await codeReader.decodeFromVideoDevice(null, 'video');
  const text = result.getText();

  // Parse embedded JSON-LD format
  if (text.startsWith('{')) {
    const parsed = parseSpecimen(text);
    if (parsed.success) return parsed.data;
    throw new Error(parsed.error.message);
  }

  // Parse compact URL format
  if (text.startsWith('wemush://')) {
    const parsed = parseCompactUrl(text);
    if (!parsed.success) throw new Error(parsed.error.message);

    // Compact format contains basic data; fetch full details from API
    const response = await fetch(`https://api.wemush.com/v1/specimens/${parsed.data.id}`);
    if (!response.ok) return parsed.data; // Fallback to compact data
    return response.json();
  }

  throw new Error('Invalid QR code format');
}

API Specification

REST Endpoints

For compact format resolution:

bash

GET /v1/specimens/{id}
GET /v1/specimens/{id}/observations
GET /v1/specimens/{id}/lineage
POST /v1/specimens
PATCH /v1/specimens/{id}

Authentication: Bearer token (OAuth 2.0 / API Key)

Example Response:

json

{
  "@context": "https://wemush.com/wols/v1",
  "@type": "Specimen",
  "id": "wemush:clx1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "type": "SUBSTRATE",
  "species": "Pleurotus ostreatus",
  "strain": {
    "name": "Blue Oyster PoHu",
    "generation": "F2",
    "clonalGeneration": 3
  },
  "stage": "COLONIZATION",
  "created": "2025-12-16T10:30:00Z",
  "batch": "batch_2025_12_001",
  "organization": "org_mushoh",
  "metadata": {
    "substrate": {
      "components": [
        {"ingredient": "hardwood sawdust", "percentage": 70},
        {"ingredient": "wheat bran", "percentage": 20},
        {"ingredient": "gypsum", "percentage": 5},
        {"ingredient": "water", "percentage": 5}
      ],
      "hydration": 60,
      "sterilization": {
        "method": "autoclave",
        "temperature": 121,
        "duration": 90
      }
    }
  },
  "observations": [
    {
      "timestamp": "2025-12-18T14:00:00Z",
      "colonizationPercent": 25,
      "contamination": false,
      "notes": "Healthy mycelium growth"
    }
  ]
}

Privacy & Security

Data Classification

Level	Description	Encoding	Examples
Public	Non-sensitive cultivation data	Embedded JSON	Species, growth stage, harvest date
Organization	Internal operational data	Compact + API	Substrate formulas, vendor info
Research	Proprietary genetics/methods	Encrypted	Novel strains, trade secrets

Cryptographic Signatures

For authenticity verification:

typescript

interface SignedSpecimen extends SpecimenLabel {
  signature: string;            // ECDSA signature
  publicKey: string;            // Organization's public key
  algorithm: "ECDSA-SHA256";
}

// Verification
async function verifySpecimen(specimen: SignedSpecimen): Promise<boolean> {
  const payload = JSON.stringify(omit(specimen, ['signature']));
  const verified = await crypto.subtle.verify(
    { name: 'ECDSA', hash: 'SHA-256' },
    specimen.publicKey,
    specimen.signature,
    payload
  );
  return verified;
}

Extensibility

Custom Namespaces

Organizations can add custom fields under reserved namespaces:

json

{
  "@context": "https://wemush.com/wols/v1",
  "@type": "Specimen",
  "id": "wemush:clx1a2b3c4",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "species": "Hericium erinaceus",
  "custom": {
    "mushoh": {
      "baggerId": "thor_001",
      "qcChecked": true,
      "shelfPosition": "A3"
    },
    "acme_labs": {
      "projectCode": "PROJ-2025-42",
      "fundingSource": "NSF-1234567"
    }
  }
}

Namespace Registration: Submit PR to github.com/wemush/open-standard

Reference Implementation

Open Source Libraries

TypeScript/JavaScript: @wemush/wols (Apache 2.0)

bash

# npm
npm install @wemush/wols

# bun
bun add @wemush/wols

# pnpm
pnpm add @wemush/wols

Python: wols (Apache 2.0)

bash

# Using UV (recommended)
uv add wols

# Using pip
pip install wols

# With QR code support
pip install "wols[qr]"

# With CLI support
pip install "wols[cli]"

# Everything (QR, CLI, crypto)
pip install "wols[all]"

Container Image (Docker/Podman):

bash

# Pull the latest CLI image
docker pull ghcr.io/wemush/specimen-labels-py:latest

# Create a specimen
docker run --rm ghcr.io/wemush/specimen-labels-py create \
  --species "Pleurotus ostreatus" \
  --type SUBSTRATE \
  --json

API: https://api.wemush.com/v1

Playground: https://labels.wemush.com

Specification Repo: github.com/wemush/open-standard (CC BY 4.0)

Library API Reference (v1.2.0)

Environment Detection

Implementations SHOULD provide runtime environment detection for selecting appropriate crypto backends:

typescript

// Runtime environment detection
isServer(): boolean           // Node.js environment
isBrowser(): boolean          // Browser window context
isWebWorker(): boolean        // Web Worker context
isDeno(): boolean             // Deno runtime
isBun(): boolean              // Bun runtime
getRuntimeEnvironment(): RuntimeEnvironment  // 'node' | 'browser' | 'webworker' | 'deno' | 'bun' | 'unknown'

// Crypto capability detection
isCryptoSupported(): boolean  // Any crypto available
supportsWebCrypto(): boolean  // Web Crypto API available
supportsNodeCrypto(): boolean // Node.js crypto available

// Feature detection
supportsTextEncoding(): boolean  // TextEncoder/TextDecoder available
supportsURLAPIs(): boolean       // URL/URLSearchParams available

Use Case: Selecting appropriate encryption implementation for cross-platform libraries.

Convenience Methods

Implementations SHOULD provide convenience wrappers for common parse operations:

typescript

// Standard parse (returns discriminated union)
parseCompactUrl(url: string): ParseResult<SpecimenRef>
// Usage: if (result.success) { use(result.data) } else { handle(result.error) }

// Exception-throwing variant
parseCompactUrlOrThrow(url: string): SpecimenRef
// Throws WolsParseError on failure

// Null-returning variant
parseCompactUrlOrNull(url: string): SpecimenRef | null
// Returns null on failure (for optional chaining)

Migration Utilities

Implementations SHOULD provide version management utilities:

typescript

// Version comparison
compareVersions(a: string, b: string): -1 | 0 | 1
isOutdated(version: string): boolean    // Older than library version
isNewer(version: string): boolean       // Newer than library version
getCurrentVersion(): string             // Current library WOLS version

// Migration registry
registerMigration(fromVersion: string, toVersion: string, handler: MigrationHandler): void
canMigrate(specimen: Specimen): boolean
migrate(specimen: Specimen): Specimen   // Chains migrations automatically
getMigrations(): Array<[string, string]>

Type Mapping

Implementations SHOULD export centralized type mappings for UI integration:

typescript

// Canonical WOLS types to platform-friendly names
const WOLS_TO_PLATFORM_MAP: Record<SpecimenType, string[]> = {
  CULTURE: ['Liquid Culture', 'LC', 'Agar', 'Petri', 'Slant', 'Culture Plate'],
  SPAWN: ['Grain Spawn', 'Sawdust Spawn', 'Plug Spawn', 'Dowel'],
  SUBSTRATE: ['Block', 'Bag', 'Bed', 'Log', 'Bucket'],
  FRUITING: ['Pinning', 'Primordia', 'Fruiting', 'Flush', 'First Flush'],
  HARVEST: ['Fresh', 'Dried', 'Processed', 'Extract'],
};

// Mapping functions
mapToWolsType(platformType: string): SpecimenType | null
mapFromWolsType(wolsType: SpecimenType): string[]
registerPlatformType(platformType: string, wolsType: SpecimenType): void

Use Cases

1. Home Cultivator Tracking

Problem: Lost track of which substrate recipe works best Solution: Scan QR → See historical yields → Reproduce success

2. Commercial Traceability

Problem: Regulatory compliance for food safety Solution: QR on retail packaging → Full cultivation history

3. Research Reproducibility

Problem: Can't replicate experimental results Solution: QR encodes exact parameters → Perfect replication

4. Circular Economy Transparency

Problem: Consumers want proof of sustainability claims Solution: QR shows brewery waste source → Carbon offset calculation

5. Equipment Integration

Problem: Manual data entry is error-prone Solution: IoT sensors auto-generate QR labels → Seamless tracking

Versioning

This specification uses Semantic Versioning:

Major: Breaking changes to core schema
Minor: Backwards-compatible additions
Patch: Clarifications, bug fixes

Current Version: 1.2.0 Stability: Active (feedback welcome)

Governance

Contribution Process

Submit issue on GitHub
Discuss in community forum
Submit PR with proposed changes
Review by steering committee
Public comment period (14 days)
Merge and release

Steering Committee

Mark Beacom (WeMush Foundation) - Chair
Amy Beacom (WeMush Foundation) - Co-Chair & Science Advisor
[Open positions for industry representatives]
[Open position for academic representative]

Adoption

Organizations Using WOLS

Organization	Use Case	Since
WeMush Platform	Full cultivation tracking	2025
Mush Ohio	Commercial production tracking	2025
[Your organization?]	[Submit PR to add]	[Year]

FAQ

Q: Is this standard required to use WeMush platform? A: No. The platform supports any labeling format, but WOLS enables advanced features.

Q: Can I use WOLS with other software? A: Yes! That's the point. WOLS is vendor-agnostic.

Q: What about existing barcodes/labels? A: WOLS can coexist. Many operations use both during transition.

Q: Who owns the data? A: The cultivator who generated it. WOLS is just a format.

Q: How do I report security issues? A: Email security@wemush.com (PGP key available)

Q: Can I use this for cannabis/hemp? A: Yes, the standard is crop-agnostic.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon

Under these terms:

Attribution — Give appropriate credit

Full license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

ISO 8601 - Date and time format
RFC 4122 - UUID specification
QR Code Specification (ISO/IEC 18004)
JSON Schema Specification
OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework

Contact

Project Lead: Mark Beacom Email: mark@wemush.com GitHub: https://github.com/wemush/open-standard Website: https://wemush.com

Changelog

Version 1.2.0 (January 26, 2026)

Extended growth stages: Research-grade lifecycle tracking with 7 stages (added INCUBATION, PRIMORDIA, SENESCENCE)
Flexible ID formats: Accept ULID, UUID in addition to CUID after wemush: prefix
Type aliases: Built-in mapping for common platform types (e.g., LIQUID_CULTURE → CULTURE, PRIMORDIA → FRUITING)
Generation flexibility: Accept G{n} and numeric notation in addition to F{n}
_meta namespace: Reserved field for implementation metadata (preserved through operations)
Migration utilities: Version comparison and upgrade helpers for future-proofing
Environment detection: Runtime detection helpers for crypto and platform selection
Convenience methods: parseCompactUrlOrThrow() and parseCompactUrlOrNull() wrappers
Type mapping exports: Centralized WOLS_TO_PLATFORM_MAP for UI integration
Library API Reference: New section documenting implementation requirements

Version 1.1.0 (January 4, 2026)

JSON-LD format adoption: Added @context and @type fields for semantic web interoperability
Structured strain object: Strain field now supports name, generation, clonalGeneration, lineage, and source subfields
Dual generation tracking: generation for filial (F1, F2) and clonalGeneration for subculture count (1, 2, 3...)
ID prefix: Specimen IDs now use wemush: prefix for namespace clarity (e.g., wemush:clx1a2b3c4)
Context URL: Schema hosted at https://wemush.com/wols/v1
Field naming consistency: Renamed batchId → batch, organizationId → organization, v → version
QR capacity verified: JSON-LD format at ~400-450 bytes, well within 2,000 byte QR limit
Backwards compatible: Existing parsers can ignore @context/@type and continue working

Version 1.0.0 (December 18, 2025)

Initial release
Core specimen schema defined
QR encoding formats specified
Privacy and security guidelines
Reference implementation roadmap

Next Steps:

✅ Community feedback period (December 2025) — Complete
✅ Reference implementation release (January 2026) — Complete
- Python: wols on PyPI + Container Image
- TypeScript: @wemush/wols on npm
✅ WOLS v1.2.0 released (January 26, 2026) — Complete
Interoperability testing (Q1 2026)
Version 1.3 with community enhancements (Q2 2026)

WeMush Open Labeling Standard

📖 Read on GitHub: github.com/wemush/open-standard

📦 Previous Versions: GitHub Releases

Version: 1.2.0
Date: January 26, 2026
Author: Amy Beacom, Mark Beacom, WeMush Foundation

The WOLS specification and reference libraries are open source.

The WeMush Platform (which implements WOLS) is proprietary but offers a generous free tier.

This model ensures:

✅ Interoperability (anyone can support WOLS)
✅ Innovation (companies can build competing platforms)
✅ Sustainability (WeMush can fund development)

Executive Summary

The WeMush Open Labeling Standard (WOLS) is an open-source specification for encoding cultivation specimen data in machine-readable QR codes. WOLS enables:

Traceability: Complete lineage tracking from culture to harvest
Interoperability: Vendor-agnostic data exchange between platforms
Transparency: Verifiable cultivation practices for circular food systems
Privacy: Cryptographic options for sensitive research data

This standard is designed for mushroom cultivation but extensible to any biological specimen tracking application.

Design Principles

Open by Default: No licensing fees, no vendor lock-in
Privacy-Preserving: Support for both public and encrypted data
Extensible: Custom fields without breaking compatibility
Offline-First: QR codes work without internet connectivity
Research-Grade: Sufficient detail for scientific reproducibility

Core Data Model

Specimen Object (Core)

The foundational entity representing a biological specimen at any stage of cultivation. WOLS uses JSON-LD format for semantic web interoperability.

typescript

interface SpecimenLabel {
  // JSON-LD Context (Required)
  "@context": string;            // Schema URL: "https://wemush.com/wols/v1"
  "@type": string;               // Entity type: "Specimen"

  // Required Fields
  id: string;                    // Unique identifier with wemush: prefix (e.g., "wemush:clx1a2b3c4")
  version: string;               // Spec version (e.g., "1.2.0")
  type: SpecimenType;            // CULTURE | SPAWN | SUBSTRATE | FRUITING | HARVEST
  species: string;               // Scientific name (e.g., "Pleurotus ostreatus")

  // Taxonomy & Genetics
  strain?: {
    name: string;                // Strain name or identifier
    generation?: string;         // Filial generation (e.g., "F1", "F2", "P")
    clonalGeneration?: number;   // Subculture/clone count (e.g., 1, 2, 3...)
    lineage?: string;            // Parent specimen ID reference
    source?: string;             // "spore", "tissue", "agar", "liquid"
  };

  // Lifecycle Tracking
  stage: GrowthStage;            // INOCULATION | INCUBATION | COLONIZATION | PRIMORDIA | FRUITING | SENESCENCE | HARVEST
  created: string;               // ISO 8601 timestamp
  batch?: string;                // Associated batch identifier

  // Attribution
  organization?: string;         // Organization ID
  creator?: string;              // User ID (optional for privacy)

  // Extensibility
  custom?: Record<string, any>; // Vendor-specific extensions

  // Implementation Metadata (v1.2.0)
  _meta?: {
    sourceId?: string;           // Original ID from source system
    sourceSystem?: string;       // Identifier of importing system
    importedAt?: string;         // ISO 8601 import timestamp
    schemaVersion?: string;      // Source system schema version
    [key: string]: unknown;      // Extensible for implementation use
  };

  // Verification (Optional)
  signature?: string;            // Cryptographic signature for authenticity
}

Specimen Types

typescript

enum SpecimenType {
  CULTURE = "CULTURE",         // Agar, liquid culture
  SPAWN = "SPAWN",             // Grain spawn, sawdust spawn
  SUBSTRATE = "SUBSTRATE",     // Inoculated substrate
  FRUITING = "FRUITING",       // Fruiting block/bag
  HARVEST = "HARVEST",         // Harvested mushrooms
}

enum GrowthStage {
  INOCULATION = "INOCULATION",   // Initial inoculation of substrate/medium
  INCUBATION = "INCUBATION",     // Post-inoculation monitoring period (v1.2.0)
  COLONIZATION = "COLONIZATION", // Active mycelial colonization
  PRIMORDIA = "PRIMORDIA",       // Pin initiation stage (v1.2.0)
  FRUITING = "FRUITING",         // Active fruiting body development
  SENESCENCE = "SENESCENCE",     // End-of-life/declining productivity (v1.2.0)
  HARVEST = "HARVEST",           // Harvested mushrooms
}

Type Aliases (v1.2.0)

Implementations SHOULD support common type aliases to improve usability:

Alias	Canonical Type
LIQUID_CULTURE, LC, AGAR, PETRI, SLANT, CULTURE_PLATE	CULTURE
GRAIN_SPAWN, SAWDUST_SPAWN, PLUG_SPAWN, DOWEL	SPAWN
BLOCK, BAG, BED, LOG, BUCKET	SUBSTRATE
FLUSH, PINNING, FRUIT, FIRST_FLUSH	FRUITING
FRESH, DRIED, PROCESSED, EXTRACT	HARVEST

Custom aliases can be registered via library functions. Alias resolution is case-insensitive.

Extended Growth Stages (v1.2.0)

WOLS v1.2.0 introduces research-grade lifecycle tracking with 7 growth stages:

Stage	Description	Typical Duration	Key Observations
INOCULATION	Initial introduction of spawn/culture to substrate	Day 0	Inoculation date, spawn rate, technique
INCUBATION	Post-inoculation rest period before visible growth	1-7 days	Temperature, humidity, contamination watch
COLONIZATION	Active mycelial growth through substrate	2-6 weeks	Colonization %, growth rate, vigor
PRIMORDIA	Pin initiation and early fruit body formation	3-10 days	Pin count, distribution, environmental triggers
FRUITING	Active fruit body development and maturation	5-14 days	Size, morphology, flush number
SENESCENCE	Declining productivity, end-of-life phase	Variable	Yield decline, contamination risk, disposal
HARVEST	Mushrooms harvested and processed	N/A	Yield weight, quality grade, storage

Scientific Rationale:

INCUBATION vs COLONIZATION: Incubation is the initial rest period where spawn recovers from inoculation stress; colonization is active hyphal extension. Research protocols often track these separately.
PRIMORDIA vs FRUITING: Primordia formation (pinning) is a distinct morphological event triggered by environmental changes. Separating this allows researchers to correlate environmental parameters with pin initiation.
SENESCENCE: Tracking end-of-life allows yield optimization studies and substrate reuse research.

Backward Compatibility: v1.0/v1.1 parsers will accept specimens with new stages but may not recognize them. Implementations SHOULD handle unknown stages gracefully.

Generation Notation (v1.2.0)

The strain.generation field accepts multiple formats:

Format	Example	Description
Filial	F1, F2, F3	Preferred notation
Parental	P, P1	Parent/original culture
Generational	G1, G2, G3	Alternative notation
Numeric	1, 2, 3	Simplified format

Implementations SHOULD normalize to filial notation (F{n}) by default.

ID Format Options (v1.2.0)

The id field MUST start with wemush: prefix. The suffix format is flexible:

Mode	Pattern	Example
Default	wemush:[a-z0-9]+	wemush:clx1a2b3c4
ULID	wemush:{ULID}	wemush:01ARZ3NDEKTSV4RRFFQ69G5FAV
UUID	wemush:{UUID}	wemush:550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000

Implementations MUST accept any non-empty suffix after wemush: prefix.

QR Code Encoding

Format Options

WOLS supports three encoding formats optimized for different use cases:

1. Compact Format (Recommended for Small Labels)

Use Case: Petri dishes, small bags, culture tubes Data Limit: 500 bytes (alphanumeric QR code)

bash

wemush://v1/{id}?s={species_code}&st={stage}&t={timestamp}

Example:

bash

wemush://v1/clx1a2b3c4?s=POSTR&st=COLONIZATION&t=1734307200

Resolution: Full data retrieved via API endpoint:

bash

GET https://api.wemush.com/v1/specimens/clx1a2b3c4

2. Embedded Format (Recommended for Most Applications)

Use Case: Substrate bags, fruiting blocks, labels with space Data Limit: 2,000 bytes (binary QR code)

Embedded format uses JSON-LD for semantic interoperability:

json

{
  "@context": "https://wemush.com/wols/v1",
  "@type": "Specimen",
  "id": "wemush:clx1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "type": "SUBSTRATE",
  "species": "Pleurotus ostreatus",
  "strain": {
    "name": "Blue Oyster PoHu",
    "generation": "F2",
    "clonalGeneration": 3
  },
  "stage": "COLONIZATION",
  "created": "2025-12-16T10:30:00Z",
  "batch": "batch_2025_12_001",
  "organization": "org_mushoh"
}

Size: ~380 bytes — well within QR capacity with error correction level M

3. Encrypted Format (Research/Commercial)

Use Case: Proprietary strains, sensitive research Encryption: AES-256-GCM with shared key or public key

bash

wemush://v1/encrypted/{id}?e={encrypted_payload}&sig={signature}

Extended Data Fields

Environmental Conditions

Track cultivation parameters for optimization:

typescript

interface EnvironmentalData {
  temperature?: {
    value: number;              // Celsius or Fahrenheit
    unit: "C" | "F";            // Unit for temperature
    timestamp: string;          // ISO 8601
  };
  humidity?: {
    value: number;              // Percentage
    timestamp: string;
  };
  co2?: {
    value: number;              // PPM
    timestamp: string;
  };
  light?: {
    spectrum?: string[];        // ["red", "blue", "white"]
    intensity?: number;         // Lux
    photoperiod?: number;       // Hours
  };
}

Substrate Composition

For reproducibility and optimization:

typescript

interface SubstrateFormula {
  components: Array<{
    ingredient: string;         // "hardwood sawdust", "wheat bran", etc.
    percentage: number;         // By dry weight
    supplier?: string;          // Optional supplier tracking
  }>;
  hydration?: number;           // Moisture percentage
  supplementation?: number;     // Percentage of supplements
  sterilization?: {
    method: string;             // "autoclave", "pasteurization"
    temperature: number;        // Celsius or Fahrenheit
    unit: "C" | "F";            // Unit for temperature
    duration: number;           // Minutes
    timestamp: string;
  };
}

Circular Economy Integration

Track waste streams and sustainability:

typescript

interface CircularEconomyData {
  wasteSource?: {
    type: "BREWERY" | "RESTAURANT" | "FARM" | "COFFEE_SHOP";
    partnerId?: string;
    collectionDate?: string;
    composition?: string[];     // ["spent grain", "coffee grounds"]
  };
  sustainability?: {
    carbonOffset?: number;      // kg CO2e
    wasteUtilized?: number;     // kg
    localSourcing?: boolean;
  };
}

Implementation Guide

Generating QR Codes

Recommended Libraries:

JavaScript/TypeScript: qrcode npm package
Python: qrcode or python-qrcode
Go: github.com/skip2/go-qrcode

Example (TypeScript):

typescript

import { createSpecimen, toQRCodeDataURL } from '@wemush/wols';

async function generateSpecimenLabel(): Promise<string> {
  const specimen = createSpecimen({
    type: 'SUBSTRATE',
    species: 'Pleurotus ostreatus',
    strain: 'Blue Oyster',
    stage: 'COLONIZATION',
  });

  // Generate QR code as data URL
  const qrDataUrl = await toQRCodeDataURL(specimen, {
    size: 300,
    errorCorrection: 'M',
  });

  return qrDataUrl;
}

Scanning & Parsing

Mobile Integration:

typescript

import { parseSpecimen, parseCompactUrl } from '@wemush/wols';
import { BrowserQRCodeReader } from '@zxing/browser';

async function scanSpecimenLabel() {
  const codeReader = new BrowserQRCodeReader();
  const result = await codeReader.decodeFromVideoDevice(null, 'video');
  const text = result.getText();

  // Parse embedded JSON-LD format
  if (text.startsWith('{')) {
    const parsed = parseSpecimen(text);
    if (parsed.success) return parsed.data;
    throw new Error(parsed.error.message);
  }

  // Parse compact URL format
  if (text.startsWith('wemush://')) {
    const parsed = parseCompactUrl(text);
    if (!parsed.success) throw new Error(parsed.error.message);

    // Compact format contains basic data; fetch full details from API
    const response = await fetch(`https://api.wemush.com/v1/specimens/${parsed.data.id}`);
    if (!response.ok) return parsed.data; // Fallback to compact data
    return response.json();
  }

  throw new Error('Invalid QR code format');
}

API Specification

REST Endpoints

For compact format resolution:

bash

GET /v1/specimens/{id}
GET /v1/specimens/{id}/observations
GET /v1/specimens/{id}/lineage
POST /v1/specimens
PATCH /v1/specimens/{id}

Authentication: Bearer token (OAuth 2.0 / API Key)

Example Response:

json

{
  "@context": "https://wemush.com/wols/v1",
  "@type": "Specimen",
  "id": "wemush:clx1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "type": "SUBSTRATE",
  "species": "Pleurotus ostreatus",
  "strain": {
    "name": "Blue Oyster PoHu",
    "generation": "F2",
    "clonalGeneration": 3
  },
  "stage": "COLONIZATION",
  "created": "2025-12-16T10:30:00Z",
  "batch": "batch_2025_12_001",
  "organization": "org_mushoh",
  "metadata": {
    "substrate": {
      "components": [
        {"ingredient": "hardwood sawdust", "percentage": 70},
        {"ingredient": "wheat bran", "percentage": 20},
        {"ingredient": "gypsum", "percentage": 5},
        {"ingredient": "water", "percentage": 5}
      ],
      "hydration": 60,
      "sterilization": {
        "method": "autoclave",
        "temperature": 121,
        "duration": 90
      }
    }
  },
  "observations": [
    {
      "timestamp": "2025-12-18T14:00:00Z",
      "colonizationPercent": 25,
      "contamination": false,
      "notes": "Healthy mycelium growth"
    }
  ]
}

Privacy & Security

Data Classification

Level	Description	Encoding	Examples
Public	Non-sensitive cultivation data	Embedded JSON	Species, growth stage, harvest date
Organization	Internal operational data	Compact + API	Substrate formulas, vendor info
Research	Proprietary genetics/methods	Encrypted	Novel strains, trade secrets

Cryptographic Signatures

For authenticity verification:

typescript

interface SignedSpecimen extends SpecimenLabel {
  signature: string;            // ECDSA signature
  publicKey: string;            // Organization's public key
  algorithm: "ECDSA-SHA256";
}

// Verification
async function verifySpecimen(specimen: SignedSpecimen): Promise<boolean> {
  const payload = JSON.stringify(omit(specimen, ['signature']));
  const verified = await crypto.subtle.verify(
    { name: 'ECDSA', hash: 'SHA-256' },
    specimen.publicKey,
    specimen.signature,
    payload
  );
  return verified;
}

Extensibility

Custom Namespaces

Organizations can add custom fields under reserved namespaces:

json

{
  "@context": "https://wemush.com/wols/v1",
  "@type": "Specimen",
  "id": "wemush:clx1a2b3c4",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "species": "Hericium erinaceus",
  "custom": {
    "mushoh": {
      "baggerId": "thor_001",
      "qcChecked": true,
      "shelfPosition": "A3"
    },
    "acme_labs": {
      "projectCode": "PROJ-2025-42",
      "fundingSource": "NSF-1234567"
    }
  }
}

Namespace Registration: Submit PR to github.com/wemush/open-standard

Reference Implementation

Open Source Libraries

TypeScript/JavaScript: @wemush/wols (Apache 2.0)

bash

# npm
npm install @wemush/wols

# bun
bun add @wemush/wols

# pnpm
pnpm add @wemush/wols

Python: wols (Apache 2.0)

bash

# Using UV (recommended)
uv add wols

# Using pip
pip install wols

# With QR code support
pip install "wols[qr]"

# With CLI support
pip install "wols[cli]"

# Everything (QR, CLI, crypto)
pip install "wols[all]"

Container Image (Docker/Podman):

bash

# Pull the latest CLI image
docker pull ghcr.io/wemush/specimen-labels-py:latest

# Create a specimen
docker run --rm ghcr.io/wemush/specimen-labels-py create \
  --species "Pleurotus ostreatus" \
  --type SUBSTRATE \
  --json

API: https://api.wemush.com/v1

Playground: https://labels.wemush.com

Specification Repo: github.com/wemush/open-standard (CC BY 4.0)

Library API Reference (v1.2.0)

Environment Detection

Implementations SHOULD provide runtime environment detection for selecting appropriate crypto backends:

typescript

// Runtime environment detection
isServer(): boolean           // Node.js environment
isBrowser(): boolean          // Browser window context
isWebWorker(): boolean        // Web Worker context
isDeno(): boolean             // Deno runtime
isBun(): boolean              // Bun runtime
getRuntimeEnvironment(): RuntimeEnvironment  // 'node' | 'browser' | 'webworker' | 'deno' | 'bun' | 'unknown'

// Crypto capability detection
isCryptoSupported(): boolean  // Any crypto available
supportsWebCrypto(): boolean  // Web Crypto API available
supportsNodeCrypto(): boolean // Node.js crypto available

// Feature detection
supportsTextEncoding(): boolean  // TextEncoder/TextDecoder available
supportsURLAPIs(): boolean       // URL/URLSearchParams available

Use Case: Selecting appropriate encryption implementation for cross-platform libraries.

Convenience Methods

Implementations SHOULD provide convenience wrappers for common parse operations:

typescript

// Standard parse (returns discriminated union)
parseCompactUrl(url: string): ParseResult<SpecimenRef>
// Usage: if (result.success) { use(result.data) } else { handle(result.error) }

// Exception-throwing variant
parseCompactUrlOrThrow(url: string): SpecimenRef
// Throws WolsParseError on failure

// Null-returning variant
parseCompactUrlOrNull(url: string): SpecimenRef | null
// Returns null on failure (for optional chaining)

Migration Utilities

Implementations SHOULD provide version management utilities:

typescript

// Version comparison
compareVersions(a: string, b: string): -1 | 0 | 1
isOutdated(version: string): boolean    // Older than library version
isNewer(version: string): boolean       // Newer than library version
getCurrentVersion(): string             // Current library WOLS version

// Migration registry
registerMigration(fromVersion: string, toVersion: string, handler: MigrationHandler): void
canMigrate(specimen: Specimen): boolean
migrate(specimen: Specimen): Specimen   // Chains migrations automatically
getMigrations(): Array<[string, string]>

Type Mapping

Implementations SHOULD export centralized type mappings for UI integration:

typescript

// Canonical WOLS types to platform-friendly names
const WOLS_TO_PLATFORM_MAP: Record<SpecimenType, string[]> = {
  CULTURE: ['Liquid Culture', 'LC', 'Agar', 'Petri', 'Slant', 'Culture Plate'],
  SPAWN: ['Grain Spawn', 'Sawdust Spawn', 'Plug Spawn', 'Dowel'],
  SUBSTRATE: ['Block', 'Bag', 'Bed', 'Log', 'Bucket'],
  FRUITING: ['Pinning', 'Primordia', 'Fruiting', 'Flush', 'First Flush'],
  HARVEST: ['Fresh', 'Dried', 'Processed', 'Extract'],
};

// Mapping functions
mapToWolsType(platformType: string): SpecimenType | null
mapFromWolsType(wolsType: SpecimenType): string[]
registerPlatformType(platformType: string, wolsType: SpecimenType): void

Use Cases

1. Home Cultivator Tracking

Problem: Lost track of which substrate recipe works best Solution: Scan QR → See historical yields → Reproduce success

2. Commercial Traceability

Problem: Regulatory compliance for food safety Solution: QR on retail packaging → Full cultivation history

3. Research Reproducibility

Problem: Can't replicate experimental results Solution: QR encodes exact parameters → Perfect replication

4. Circular Economy Transparency

Problem: Consumers want proof of sustainability claims Solution: QR shows brewery waste source → Carbon offset calculation

5. Equipment Integration

Problem: Manual data entry is error-prone Solution: IoT sensors auto-generate QR labels → Seamless tracking

Versioning

This specification uses Semantic Versioning:

Major: Breaking changes to core schema
Minor: Backwards-compatible additions
Patch: Clarifications, bug fixes

Current Version: 1.2.0 Stability: Active (feedback welcome)

Governance

Contribution Process

Submit issue on GitHub
Discuss in community forum
Submit PR with proposed changes
Review by steering committee
Public comment period (14 days)
Merge and release

Steering Committee

Mark Beacom (WeMush Foundation) - Chair
Amy Beacom (WeMush Foundation) - Co-Chair & Science Advisor
[Open positions for industry representatives]
[Open position for academic representative]

Adoption

Organizations Using WOLS

Organization	Use Case	Since
WeMush Platform	Full cultivation tracking	2025
Mush Ohio	Commercial production tracking	2025
[Your organization?]	[Submit PR to add]	[Year]

FAQ

Q: Is this standard required to use WeMush platform? A: No. The platform supports any labeling format, but WOLS enables advanced features.

Q: Can I use WOLS with other software? A: Yes! That's the point. WOLS is vendor-agnostic.

Q: What about existing barcodes/labels? A: WOLS can coexist. Many operations use both during transition.

Q: Who owns the data? A: The cultivator who generated it. WOLS is just a format.

Q: How do I report security issues? A: Email security@wemush.com (PGP key available)

Q: Can I use this for cannabis/hemp? A: Yes, the standard is crop-agnostic.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon

Under these terms:

Attribution — Give appropriate credit

Full license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

ISO 8601 - Date and time format
RFC 4122 - UUID specification
QR Code Specification (ISO/IEC 18004)
JSON Schema Specification
OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework

Contact

Project Lead: Mark Beacom Email: mark@wemush.com GitHub: https://github.com/wemush/open-standard Website: https://wemush.com

Changelog

Version 1.2.0 (January 26, 2026)

Extended growth stages: Research-grade lifecycle tracking with 7 stages (added INCUBATION, PRIMORDIA, SENESCENCE)
Flexible ID formats: Accept ULID, UUID in addition to CUID after wemush: prefix
Type aliases: Built-in mapping for common platform types (e.g., LIQUID_CULTURE → CULTURE, PRIMORDIA → FRUITING)
Generation flexibility: Accept G{n} and numeric notation in addition to F{n}
_meta namespace: Reserved field for implementation metadata (preserved through operations)
Migration utilities: Version comparison and upgrade helpers for future-proofing
Environment detection: Runtime detection helpers for crypto and platform selection
Convenience methods: parseCompactUrlOrThrow() and parseCompactUrlOrNull() wrappers
Type mapping exports: Centralized WOLS_TO_PLATFORM_MAP for UI integration
Library API Reference: New section documenting implementation requirements

Version 1.1.0 (January 4, 2026)

JSON-LD format adoption: Added @context and @type fields for semantic web interoperability
Structured strain object: Strain field now supports name, generation, clonalGeneration, lineage, and source subfields
Dual generation tracking: generation for filial (F1, F2) and clonalGeneration for subculture count (1, 2, 3...)
ID prefix: Specimen IDs now use wemush: prefix for namespace clarity (e.g., wemush:clx1a2b3c4)
Context URL: Schema hosted at https://wemush.com/wols/v1
Field naming consistency: Renamed batchId → batch, organizationId → organization, v → version
QR capacity verified: JSON-LD format at ~400-450 bytes, well within 2,000 byte QR limit
Backwards compatible: Existing parsers can ignore @context/@type and continue working

Version 1.0.0 (December 18, 2025)

Initial release
Core specimen schema defined
QR encoding formats specified
Privacy and security guidelines
Reference implementation roadmap

Next Steps:

✅ Community feedback period (December 2025) — Complete
✅ Reference implementation release (January 2026) — Complete
- Python: wols on PyPI + Container Image
- TypeScript: @wemush/wols on npm
✅ WOLS v1.2.0 released (January 26, 2026) — Complete
Interoperability testing (Q1 2026)
Version 1.3 with community enhancements (Q2 2026)

WeMush Open Labeling Standard

Executive Summary

Design Principles

Core Data Model

Specimen Object (Core)

Specimen Types

Type Aliases (v1.2.0)

Extended Growth Stages (v1.2.0)

Generation Notation (v1.2.0)

ID Format Options (v1.2.0)

QR Code Encoding

Format Options

1. Compact Format (Recommended for Small Labels)

2. Embedded Format (Recommended for Most Applications)

3. Encrypted Format (Research/Commercial)

Extended Data Fields

Environmental Conditions

Substrate Composition

Circular Economy Integration

Implementation Guide

Generating QR Codes

Scanning & Parsing

API Specification

REST Endpoints

Privacy & Security

Data Classification

Cryptographic Signatures

Extensibility

Custom Namespaces

Reference Implementation

Open Source Libraries

Library API Reference (v1.2.0)

Environment Detection

Convenience Methods

Migration Utilities

Type Mapping

Use Cases

1. Home Cultivator Tracking

2. Commercial Traceability

3. Research Reproducibility

4. Circular Economy Transparency

5. Equipment Integration

Versioning

Governance

Contribution Process

Steering Committee

Adoption

Organizations Using WOLS

FAQ

License

References

Contact

Changelog

Version 1.2.0 (January 26, 2026)

Version 1.1.0 (January 4, 2026)

Version 1.0.0 (December 18, 2025)

Loading WeMush...

WeMush Open Labeling Standard

Executive Summary

Design Principles

Core Data Model

Specimen Object (Core)

Specimen Types

Type Aliases (v1.2.0)

Extended Growth Stages (v1.2.0)

Generation Notation (v1.2.0)

ID Format Options (v1.2.0)

QR Code Encoding

Format Options

1. Compact Format (Recommended for Small Labels)

2. Embedded Format (Recommended for Most Applications)

3. Encrypted Format (Research/Commercial)

Extended Data Fields

Environmental Conditions

Substrate Composition

Circular Economy Integration

Implementation Guide

Generating QR Codes

Scanning & Parsing

API Specification