Textile Digital Product Passport: What EU Brands Will Ask Their Suppliers For

If you manufacture or supply textiles for European brands, you've probably started hearing about the Digital Product Passport (DPP). Some brands are already asking suppliers for more detailed product data. This guide explains what's coming, what's still uncertain, and what you can prepare today.

What is the Digital Product Passport?

The Digital Product Passport is a digital record of key information about a product — its materials, origin, certifications, care, repair and recycling. It's usually accessed through a QR code on the product or label. It comes from the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which entered into force in 2024.

When will it apply to textiles?

Textiles are one of the priority product groups in the European Commission's 2025–2030 working plan. The textile-specific rules (a "delegated act") are indicatively planned for adoption in 2027. Once adopted, companies are generally expected to have a transition period of at least 18 months before the requirements apply.

Exact dates and data requirements have not been finalized yet. But brands don't wait for the final rules — they are starting to collect data from their supply chains now, because building that data takes time.

Why suppliers are asked first

Brands are responsible for the passport, but most of the information comes from their suppliers: fabric mills, garment manufacturers, dye houses and trim suppliers. If your data is incomplete or inconsistent, your customer's passport will be too. Suppliers who can deliver clean, documented product data quickly will be easier to work with.

What data brands are likely to ask for

The final list isn't confirmed, but preparatory work for textiles points to these areas:

• Fiber composition — by component (shell, lining, rib, pocketing), adding up to 100%. Fiber labeling is already required in the EU, so this is the starting point.
• Recycled content — the share of recycled fibers, supported by certificates such as GRS or RCS.
• Organic and other claims — supported by valid certificates such as GOTS or OCS.
• Substances of concern — declarations such as a REACH SVHC statement from your suppliers.
• Origin and manufacturing — where the product was made, who made it, and ideally which facility.
• Traceability — batch or lot numbers linked to production and shipments.
• Care instructions — washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning, consistent with the care label.
• Durability, repair and end of life — repair guidance, recycling instructions and packaging materials.

A quick self-check

For one of your products, ask yourself:

1. Do the fiber percentages on the care label match the supplier's composition declaration?
2. Is every certificate you mention still valid — and do you have the certificate number?
3. Can you name the fabric supplier and the factory that made the product?
4. Do you have a REACH declaration from your suppliers?
5. Can you link a finished product to a production batch?

If you answered "no" or "not sure" to two or more, that's normal — and it's exactly what to work on first.

Common gaps we see

• Composition totals that don't add up to 100% for one component.
• Care labels and supplier declarations that show different percentages.
• Organic or recycled claims without a valid supporting certificate.
• Certificates that have quietly expired.
• No written chemical compliance declaration.

How to start

You don't need new software or lab tests to begin. Pick one product. Gather the documents you already have — tech pack, supplier composition declaration, care label, certificates — and check them against each other. Note what's missing, then ask your suppliers for it. Repeat for your key products.

Note: This article is for general information and reflects the situation as of September 2026. EU requirements for textile Digital Product Passports are still being finalized.