On behalf of Circular Design Synergy, I attended two events on the development of the digital product passport. The first event was online, led by the UN Environment Programme. It discussed changing the narrative of a DPP, to include as many countries as possible. The second event was meeting at the National Manufacturing institute Scotland, on 28th May 2025, for an all day workshop to discuss in detail the legislation surrounding DPP, possible providers of DPP, and the implications it could have on the Scottish textile industry. This was a thought provoking event that allowed a deeper insight into the future of digital product passports.
What is a digital product passport?
A digital product passport is displayed on the care label of a garment, and is a set of information detailing the garments supply chain, connecting consumers directly to the products origin. A digital product passport is accessible via QR code, the user scans the QR code and can see each step of the supply chain; from design, to manufacturing to usage, and disposal. As part of EU legislation, by 2027 the EU textile industry must be ready to have DPP’s on every care label of every manufactured garment. By the end of 2025, legislation surrounding the DPP is expected to be published to prepare the textile industry for implementation of the legislation. It’s important that these are an agreed set of guidelines suitable for all levels of IT literacy and size of fashion brand. GS1 are a free members service that provide help for fashion brands to set up their DPP in the form of an URL. Charming are a service that can provide fashion brands with advanced DPP’s, giving brands QR codes that
How is it circular?
From circular perspective, a DPP tracks supply chains all over the world, allowing complete traceability and transparency of every point in a supply chain. Having this transparency in mind, the DPP shows consumers and brands the impact that each piece of clothing has on the environment. From a circular perspective, the DPP champions supply chains that allow clothing to have new life cycles, repair processes and even resold or passed on, as well as traced back to its origin. From a linear perspective, clothing wearers are faced with the reality that their clothes will likely end of in landfill if not taken care of properly.
What are the benefits?
From a marketing and communication standpoint, the DPP is an incredibly useful tool in connecting consumer to brand, using visual storytelling to add value to a brands equity. It allows brands to track consumers engagement within sustainability habits, better understanding their behaviour. The DPP allows for a universal streamline of compliance, with all brands adhering to the same standards. The DPP is consumer friendly too, with users able to scan the QR code when reselling their item on apps Vinted. The textile industry is the first to roll out legislation surrounding the DPP, and are paving the way for other industries that will join in the near future, like healthcare and construction.
What are the implications?
From a clothing industry perspective, this will mean extra work for the brand to track down every step of the supply chain for every item of clothing. When producing in bulk, this can make brands reconsider the amount of garments they will be producing, as they are now accountable for every single piece that has their name attached to it. There are also people within the supply chain that are not IT literate, and they would need to find a way to communicate their part in the chain to the DPP provider. From a consumer perspective, the garment could pose privacy risks, as consumers might not want their clothing to show where they are from a geographical level. The implementation of a DPP is an extra cost to account for, which SME’s and micro brands may struggle with.
What does this mean for you?
If you are a brand seeking guidance on DPP, we offer consultancy and guidance on the legislative and operational aspects of the DPP process.