As part of the EU’s Green Deal package, textiles and apparel placed on the EU market are soon expected to come into scope for a Digital Product Passport (DPP): a digital record capturing details such as a product’s origin, the materials it’s made from and how it can be repaired or recycled at the end of its life. In this episode of the Beyond Threads podcast, host Erik Janssen Steenberg talks to Jeanet van der Stoel, Sector Lead Textile and Apparel at GS1 Netherlands, and Bleckmann Manager CSR Ron Thijssen. Together, they discuss what the DPP requires in practice, what it means for how fashion and lifestyle brands capture and manage supply chain data, and why getting started early is the key to long-term compliance.
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Digital traceability: What does it mean for my products?
Every garment already carries a label with basic information about product composition and country of origin, but a DPP will contain more detailed, product-specific information. Depending on the applicable rules, this may include material composition, traceability data, repair instructions, and guidance for disassembly, reuse and recycling at the end of its life.
DPPs are typically accessed via QR codes based on GS1’s Digital Link standard. A single scan can connect users to product information from multiple data sources, including information about a product’s composition, sustainability credentials and end-of-life treatment instructions. Jeanet’s team has been piloting this in the field, including at a sock factory in Pakistan, where the challenge of attaching a scannable identifier to a product with no label revealed just how much practical problem-solving the rollout will involve. But in addition to these ‘frontend’ considerations, the ‘backend’ also requires attention.
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Beyond European borders: The global supply chain data challenge
While the DPP legislation is European, many brands source raw materials or manufacture items outside Europe, meaning product data will have to be recorded and shared across complex international supply chains. The further down the supply chain you go, the harder that becomes. “Interoperability is key,” says Jeanet, noting the parallel with human communication around the world. “It would be way more efficient if we talked in one language,” she says. “The same thing applies for the textile industry. We have so many different production facilities, different tiers, the internal systems like ERP, PIM and PLM. How can we speak one language to make it much easier to collect and share the data across the systems?”
The challenge isn’t limited to manufacturing and sourcing; logistics providers like Bleckmann can also be part of a product’s digital passport. For instance, once an item passes through our Renewal Workshop for cleaning or repair, that activity gets added to the passport, helping to trace the product’s circular history through to its second life. “With the information in a standardised DPP, you know exactly what has been done to the product and what you can and cannot do with a product at the end of its life,” says Ron. “That makes it easier and more efficient for companies to start refurbishing, reusing or recycling items.”
Get prepared, get compliant: Why starting now gives you an edge
The main legislation introducing the DPP has been passed, so can brands get ready? Jeanet's advice is to begin with the data already in your systems, identify the gaps and get started by running a pilot. It’s also important to note that DPP QR codes can have value beyond just compliance: the same code can link to a product page and connect users to brand loyalty programmes and feed their curiosity about a product’s sustainability impacts – so the investment can also benefit the customer experience. Finally, as Jeanet points out, the barcode felt like a big change 50 years ago, but now it’s become a standardised tool for identifying and pricing products. She predicts that DPP QR codes will do the same.
Want to know more about the EU Green Deal legislation and its implications for fashion and lifestyle brands? Stay tuned for more episodes of the Beyond Threads podcast or get in touch for a free consultation with a Bleckmann expert.
