Digital Product Passport for Textiles: DPP, EU Rules & Timeline
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is set to become one of the most important tools for product transparency in the European Union. For fashion and textiles, it will progressively connect a physical product with structured digital information about its identity, materials, compliance and lifecycle.
For brands, retailers and consumers, the change goes well beyond adding a QR code to a label. It is part of the EU's broader Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which introduces a framework for product-specific ecodesign and information requirements. As of September 2026, textile apparel is one of the priority product groups being prepared for future DPP requirements.
What is a Digital Product Passport?
A Digital Product Passport is a structured set of data linked to a physical product through a data carrier, such as a QR code or another machine-readable identifier. Under Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, the DPP is designed to make relevant product information accessible electronically throughout the value chain.
The exact content, access rights and identification level — model, batch or individual item — will be defined for each product group through delegated acts. The regulation also requires DPP data to be accurate, complete and up to date, and the technical system to be interoperable and based on open standards.
Read Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 on EUR-Lex.
Why are textiles a priority?
Textile supply chains can involve many stages: fibre production, spinning, weaving or knitting, dyeing, finishing, cutting, sewing, distribution and end-of-life management. The European Commission has therefore identified textile apparel as a priority product group in the ESPR Working Plan 2025–2030.
The future textile-specific DPP requirements are expected to be introduced through the same delegated act that will establish the relevant ecodesign requirements for textiles. According to the Commission's current indicative timeline, adoption of that delegated act is planned for Q4 2027. The final legally binding compliance date will depend on the adopted rules.
See the European Commission's textile apparel DPP page.
What information could a textile DPP contain?
The final list for textiles has not yet been adopted. However, the ESPR framework and the Commission's textile guidance indicate that the future passport may include information such as:
- Product identification, including unique identifiers and product characteristics.
- Fibre composition, where relevant in connection with textile labelling rules.
- Traceability information about economic operators or facilities when required by the final rules.
- Compliance information needed by authorities and other authorised actors.
- Care, repair, reuse and recycling information where these data are included in the product-specific requirements.
This means the DPP should not be seen as a marketing page. It is intended to become a structured product-data layer that can serve consumers, businesses, repairers, recyclers, customs and market-surveillance authorities according to their respective access rights.
Will every garment have a QR code?
A QR code is one possible data carrier, but the regulation is technology-neutral. The product-specific rules will determine which carrier or carriers are accepted and where they must appear — for example on the product, packaging or accompanying documentation.
For online sales, the DPP must also be accessible before a customer is bound by a purchase contract when the applicable delegated act requires it. This makes DPP preparation relevant not only to physical labels, but also to ecommerce product data and marketplace feeds.
The DPP infrastructure is already taking shape
On 20 July 2026, the European Commission launched the Digital Product Passport Registry together with a testing environment. The registry is designed to store unique product identifiers and associated metadata, while full product data can remain decentralised.
This is an important step from policy to infrastructure: businesses can now start preparing data models and technical processes before product-specific rules become mandatory.
Read the European Commission announcement on the DPP Registry.
How fashion brands can prepare now
The most useful preparation is not to print a QR code early, but to improve the quality and structure of product data. Fashion brands can begin by documenting:
- product references, SKUs, EANs and variants;
- exact fibre composition and material specifications;
- supplier and manufacturing information;
- care instructions and durability-related information;
- repair, reuse and end-of-life information where available;
- evidence supporting origin or environmental claims.
Structured information is especially important for brands selling across multiple channels. The same product may appear on a brand website, a marketplace and in a physical store, while the DPP is intended to provide a consistent digital identity linked to that product.
Traceability, natural fibres and Made in France
For brands working with identified materials and shorter supply chains, the DPP can help make information that is often difficult to see at first glance easier to access. Fibre composition, manufacturing location, care guidance and product identifiers can all become part of a more documented relationship between a garment or accessory and its owner.
At ERVERTE Paris, our approach already focuses on clearly identified materials and French manufacturing. The arrival of the DPP reinforces the importance of documenting product information precisely rather than relying only on general claims.
See product traceability in practice
L’Essentiel Belt Bag — Blue is woven and made in France from 50% recycled cotton and 50% cotton, with an adjustable double-layer strap, reinforced stitching, metal zip and buckles, and an interior pocket.
Digital Product Passport: key dates to remember
- 2024: Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 establishing the ESPR framework entered into force.
- 2025–2030: textiles are included among the priority product groups in the first ESPR Working Plan.
- 20 July 2026: the European Commission launched the Digital Product Passport Registry and testing environment.
- Q4 2027: current indicative target for adoption of the textile delegated act.
These dates describe the regulatory roadmap, not a blanket requirement for every garment today. The final textile obligations and compliance date will be determined by the product-specific rules.
FAQ: Digital Product Passport for textiles
Is the Digital Product Passport already mandatory for clothing?
No. As of September 2026, there is no general DPP obligation for all clothing sold in the EU. Textile-specific requirements are still being developed.
Is a DPP the same thing as a QR code?
No. A QR code can be the data carrier used to access the passport. The DPP itself is the structured set of product data linked to the identifier.
Will imported products also be affected?
When product-specific DPP rules apply, they concern products placed on the EU market, including relevant imported products, subject to the scope and exemptions of the applicable legislation.
What should a fashion brand do first?
Start with product-data quality: identifiers, fibre composition, manufacturing information, supporting documentation and care information. A technically sophisticated DPP cannot compensate for incomplete source data.