EU Digital Product Passport for Textiles: What Fashion Brands Need From Their Suppliers | Nak Fashion Group
The Digital Product Passport is still a few years away for apparel, but the supplier data behind it takes years to build. Here is the realistic timeline and what to start collecting now.
| QUICK ANSWER Under the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), textiles will need a Digital Product Passport. The rules for textiles are expected to be adopted in the second half of 2027, with at least 18 months before they apply, so obligations are likely from around 2029. One ESPR rule already applies: since 19 July 2026, large companies may not destroy unsold clothing in the EU. |
What the Digital Product Passport is
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record linked to each product, usually through a QR code on the label or hangtag. It holds information about the product’s materials, origin, environmental performance and end of life. It was created under the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which entered into force in July 2024. Textiles and apparel are one of the first product groups in line.
The realistic timeline
| When | What |
| July 2024 | ESPR enters into force |
| 19 July 2026 | Ban on destroying unsold apparel and footwear applies to large companies |
| Q3–Q4 2027 (expected) | Textiles rules (delegated act) adopted, defining what data the DPP must hold |
| Around 2029 (expected) | DPP obligations apply, after a transition of at least 18 months |
| July 2030 | Destruction ban extends to medium-sized companies |
Treat everything after 2026 as indicative. The exact data points and dates won’t be final until the textiles rules are adopted.
| WHY START NOW IF IT’S 2029? A passport is only as good as the data behind it, and much of that data sits with your suppliers — fabric mills, spinners and fibre sources. Building that traceability takes several seasons. Brands that start now will be ready; brands that wait will be scrambling for data in 2028. |
What data the passport is likely to need
Final requirements are not set, but the direction is clear from ESPR and pilot projects. Expect data in these areas:
- Fibre composition, including recycled content
- Where the product was made: the garment factory and earlier stages such as fabric and yarn
- Substances of concern and chemical compliance
- Durability, care and repair information
- Recyclability and end-of-life guidance
- A unique product identifier linked to the passport
What to ask your Bangladesh supplier now
1. Can you map my supply chain beyond the sewing factory — fabric mill, yarn spinner and fibre origin?
2. Can you provide fibre composition test reports and certificates (OEKO-TEX, GOTS, GRS) per style?
3. For organic or recycled claims, do transaction certificates come with each order?
4. Can you supply chemical compliance evidence against EU REACH requirements?
5. Can you share this data digitally — in a spreadsheet or system — not only as PDFs?
6. Who at your company owns traceability, and how do you keep records per production lot?
Where a buying house fits
Passport data has to be gathered across several suppliers per garment, and that coordination is what a buying house already does. Nak Fashion Group works through 300+ partner factories and already supplies certification and compliance documentation with each shipment. We can work with you to extend that into the structured, style-level data the DPP will need, starting with your core programmes.
| Starting your DPP readiness? Tell us your core styles. We’ll show you what traceability data we can provide today, and build the rest with you season by season. Talk to our team → |
The bottom line
The Digital Product Passport for textiles is a 2029-ish obligation with a 2026 starting line. The unsold-goods destruction ban is already in force for large brands, and the data foundations take years to build. Start with your core styles, choose suppliers who can trace beyond the sewing floor, and you will be ready when the rules land.
Frequently Asked Questions
The textiles rules under ESPR are expected to be adopted in the second half of 2027, with at least 18 months before they apply — so obligations are likely from around 2029. Exact dates depend on the final act.
Final data points are not yet set. Expect fibre composition and recycled content, manufacturing locations, substances of concern, durability and care, recyclability, and a unique product identifier.
Yes, for large companies from 19 July 2026. It extends to medium-sized companies from 19 July 2030.
Yes. It applies to products placed on the EU market wherever they are made, so brands will need passport data from their overseas suppliers.
This article is general information for sourcing teams, not legal advice. The textiles requirements under ESPR were not adopted at the time of writing; data points and dates may change. Last checked: 4 October 2026.
