Dynamic QR codes: printed once, pointed wherever you need

Fabric lasts longer than campaigns. A dynamic QR code is how the shirt keeps up.

A static QR code encodes a fixed URL. A dynamic QR code encodes a short redirect that you can repoint later, so the same printed code can open race results this month and a sign-up form next spring. For anything printed on clothing, that flexibility usually matters more than the design.

It comes with a catch. Most dynamic QR services are subscriptions, and when an account lapses, every code it ever made can stop working at once. This desk covers how to choose a service, how to use a short link on a domain you own instead, what scan analytics are worth collecting, and how to keep a code honest about where it sends people.

Coming up: how to get started with dynamic QR codes on apparel without locking yourself into one vendor.