Digital Product Passports: Mandatory, Not Optional. And No, You Can't Take Them to Ibiza
Your garment is about to need its own ‘passport.’ This will be permanently affixed to the item, usually via a QR code or NFC tag, not a swing tag you rip off and throw away.
The EU is pushing for a standardised ‘web-portal’ approach so every brand’s passport speaks the same language. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a core part of the EU’s wider sustainability and circularity regulations. At some point, if you want to sell in Europe, you will need a Digital Product Passport. Without it, your stock isn't getting in.
Why is the EU doing this?
The goal is to clean up an industry that is polluting our planet and exploiting workers. By 2027, the EU wants every textile to be ‘readable’ so it can be repaired, resold, or recycled properly. They are moving toward a Circular Economy, and data is the engine.
The DPP Checklist: What do you need?
Instead of a chaotic pile of unsorted emails, the DPP forces you to have a digital thread that follows the fabric from fibre to finished garment. You will need to link to:
Material Traceability: Exactly what it’s made from. If you’re claiming it's Organic, Recycled, or made from virgin Unicorn hair, you’ll need the data to back it up.
Supply Chain Transparency: You’ll need to map out exactly where it was made. Not just the Tier 1 factory, but the Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers (the people making your fabric and trims). None of this ‘it’s from some guy in Italy.’
Compliance & Certification: Validated reports and official documentation.
The ‘Manual’: Environmental impact data, plus clear care, repair, and end-of-life instructions.
How this affects Small Brands and Independent Labels
‘But I’m only producing 50 garments a year.’
Trust me: this is going to trickle down.
And honestly, I think it’s a good thing. The bar is being raised (finally) and the brands who treat product development seriously will thrive. Success depends on knowing your Tier 1 from your Tier 3 and your organic cotton from your ‘I found it in a bin.’
If you are a brand owner, here’s how to make this less painful
Most small brands panic about Digital Product Passports only because they don’t have strong foundations in place. Here is your roadmap:
Start documenting properly today. I know it’s not very exciting, but I promise your future self will be so smug and thankful. You don't need a perfect system; you just need a system.
Sort your supplier relationships. If your manufacturer can't tell you where their trims come from, you already have a problem. DPPs will just make it official.
Fix your spec sheets and tech packs. Your tech pack should not be three inspirational photos and the words ‘like Reformation but cheaper.’
Get clarity on materials. Guessing on fibre content is no longer an option.
But what if I don't have time to build all this?
This is exactly where I step in. Think of me as your product-development translator. I take the scary regulatory stuff and turn it into practical steps you can actually follow.
I help brands check they have proper documentation, reduce risk across sampling, and implement processes that actually work for small teams.
My opinion
Digital Product Passports are not here to torture you. They are here to reward the brands who do things right.
Consumers are changing; people actually give a shit where their clothes were made. The brands who crack on with this early - with good data and good technical support - are going to stand out as the ones people can actually trust.
If you want help getting your brand ready for the new era of transparency, you know where I am.