The digital product passport: A new initiative in the fashion world

The European Union will require digital passports for all textiles by 2030. This aligns with their sustainability strategies and intention to reduce and remove ‘fast fashion’ and eco-unfriendly products from the market. These new rules will greatly affect the retail industry for clothing, furniture, and other consumer products.

From a retailer perspective, these digital product passports can provide benefits and business opportunities for those who focus on responsible sourcing. If your brand targets conscious choices from savvy consumers, it makes sense to understand and align with the regulatory requirements even if you are not primarily based in Europe.

What is a digital product passport?

Although the exact form that the digital product passport (DPP) will take is not perfectly clear yet, the rules surrounding its implementation are definitely something retailers in the fashion industry and textile industry should learn. It will involve displaying a certification or QR code on product tags that ensures the item fulfills all the requirements of the DPP rules.

The DPP manages the environmental impact of certain product categories

Everything focuses on sustainability and smart resource consumption and use. The rules also provide certain oversights for the manufacturing process and even supply chain issues, specifically product traceability. All these things aim to minimize the massive amount of textiles wasted and disposed of every year. Currently, approximately 12.6 metric tons are wasted annually. Part of this is due to the prominence of fast fashion, which is neither responsibly sourced nor recycled in any manner.

What data goes into a digital product passport?

The DPP will exist as a digital record of the entire product lifecycle for an individual physical product. It also will include information about how to use the product in order to make it last as long as possible. The code or tag itself will link to an extensive document that consumers can read if they care to. 

It will include the following detailed information:

• General product details including an ID code, weight, manufacturer, etc.
• Origins and material information such as source company, location, recycled percentage, and associated carbon footprint specifics
• Production process identifiers, steps, certifications, and ecological data related to every step from start to finish
• Transportation and logistics information about land, sea, and air shipping
• Product warranties, maintenance needs, and repair instructions
• Instructions for what to do at the end of the product lifecycle, such as directions to reuse or recycle it

Together, all this data will help companies comply with legal obligations. From a consumer viewpoint, the digital product passport will likewise provide valuable information. Product sustainability and the end of fast fashion are important to many consumers these days. Scanning the QR code or tag information will give them valuable insights into the types of products they are supporting with every purchase.

What is the timeline for the digital product passport?

The digital product passport will be required for all EU textiles by 2030. The origin of this stricter regulation began back in 2022 with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation proposal. Other initiatives like the Waste Shipment Regulation in 2021 and the 2023 Waste Framework Directive have contributed to the creation of this rule.

Changes have been underway for some time, but it will still take considerable effort for supply chains and product manufacturers throughout the textile sector to make necessary changes. No matter what challenges they face, however, they must have full compliance with regulations by the deadline. This not only will help them avoid potential fines or legal action but will also give them a competitive edge when it comes to selling to savvy consumers.

Will the U.S. have a digital passport requirement?

There is not currently any definitive push in the United States to create a digital product passport requirement similar to the one in the European Union. Although some positive changes have come about in the realm of environmental protection and human rights protections in product manufacturing industries, the country still lags behind when it comes to making detailed product sustainability requirements.

Will it ever have such a legal requirement for the textile and clothing industries? If leaders are smart, they will make these changes sooner rather than later. Not only are things like resource efficiency and reducing environmental footprint important, but they are also aligned with the needs and wants of the largest consumer bases.

Vast amounts of fabric waste is manufactured every year. The fast fashion and similar products either never get purchased at all or go directly from consumer to landfill. The entire world would benefit from rules that enforce a more cyclical clothing and textile lifecycle. This type of business model would result in more profits for businesses that practice sustainability while providing customers with higher quality textile products.

What are the benefits of a digital product passport?

The benefits of using recycled materials, ensuring more energy efficiency in the supply chain, and reducing the overall carbon footprint for every pillowcase or pair of pants made are obvious. The advantages of the EU’s digital product passport all come down to making sure companies act honestly and responsibly within the bounds of its rules.

The manufacturing companies themselves will realize financial benefits, increased operational efficiency, and can improve their reputations on the world stage. The retailers who carry these products likewise will appear more responsible to their customers. The changes outlined by the DPP requirements align with the types of informed decisions shoppers want to make these days. For the buyer, the ability to get detailed insights with a simple QR code scan will empower their purchasing decisions.

Besides all the other specific details and advantages, the digital product passport also highlights the importance of comprehensive data collection and analysis throughout the textile industries. Not only does the government recognize the benefits for the world and consumers, but they also have the power to track all essential information with a high degree of accuracy. 

Data is the solution to many of the world’s and individual brand’s problems. This truth makes high-quality, comprehensive solutions like Clientbook a wise choice for companies that care. The more information collected, the better equipped you are to provide consumers with the best products, services, and satisfaction.