What US Fashion Brands Need to Know About the EU Digital Product Passport
- Britta Cabanos
- 18 hours ago
- 6 min read
Welcome to the Future of Fashion: Digital Product Passports
In an ever-evolving industry, staying informed and adaptable is key to success. We are excited to share some important news that will shape the fashion brand landscape. There's a regulation quietly moving through implementation right now that will affect every fashion brand selling into the European market -- including brands based in the US.1 Most small and independent designers have either not heard of it or vaguely know it's coming, and have put it in the "deal with it later" pile.
This article serves as a prompt to elevate it from the pile. Not because it is urgent today, but because brands that begin to build towards it now will find the process straightforward. Conversely, those that wait until the deadline will face increased costs and stress. We are enthusiastic about this topic as it represents the future of fashion, impacting resources, materials, and the decisions made in product development for the market.
Here's what you actually need to know:
What is the Digital Product Passport?
The EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) is part of the European Green Deal's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which entered into force in June 2024.2 In simple terms, it requires that physical products sold in the EU carry a digital record -- accessible via QR code, barcode, or similar -- containing verified information about the product's origin, materials, manufacturing process, and end-of-life instructions.
The idea is traceability and transparency at scale. Consumers, regulators, and resellers will be able to scan a garment and access its full story: where the fabric was woven, where it was cut and sewn, what it's made of, how to care for it, and how to dispose of or recycle it responsibly.
For fashion specifically, textiles and apparel are among the first categories prioritized under the ESPR Working Plan 2025-2030.3 The delegated act defining exact requirements for textiles is expected in late 2026 or early 2027, with an 18-month compliance window following -- meaning mandatory enforcement for most textile brands is realistically from 2028.4
Why US brands need to pay attention now
The instinct for US-based brands is often to assume that European regulations don't apply to them. In this case, that instinct is wrong.
The DPP applies to products sold in the EU market, not just to companies headquartered there.5 If you're a US brand selling to European customers -- including through your own website with international shipping -- you are within scope.6 The same applies to UK, Australian, and any other non-EU brand with European customers.
More importantly, the businesses most vulnerable to scramble-compliance are small ones. Larger brands have legal teams, supply chain software, and dedicated sustainability staff who will manage this. Independent designers often lack those things, which means the work falls directly on the founder -- and doing it at the last minute will cost far more in time and money than building toward it gradually.
What information will the passport need to contain?
While the exact technical specifications are still being finalized through delegated acts, the categories of information required are clear.7 For fashion products, expect the DPP to require:
Material composition -- a full breakdown of what the product is made from, including percentages of each fiber or material, and ideally traceability back to the source.
Manufacturing information -- where the product was made, including country of manufacture and ideally facility-level information.
Chemical substances -- disclosure of any substances of concern present in the product above threshold levels.
Repairability and durability information -- guidance on how the product can be repaired or maintained to extend its life.
End-of-life instructions -- clear information on how to recycle, compost, or responsibly dispose of the product when it reaches the end of life.
Carbon footprint data -- lifecycle emissions data is expected to be included as a requirement, though exact specifications are still evolving.8
What you can do right now
None of this requires expensive software or a dedicated sustainability team to start. It requires knowing your supply chain -- which, if you're an independent designer, you may already know better than most large brands do.
Step one: Map your supply chain. Write down every supplier involved in making your products -- fabric mills, trim suppliers, cut-and-sew factories, finishers, label makers. For each one, note the country of operation and what they supply. This is the foundation of everything the DPP will require.
Step two: Start collecting material certifications. If your suppliers have GOTS, OEKO-TEX, or other certifications, start collecting and filing those documents now. These will feed directly into the material composition and chemical substance requirements.
Step three: Document your care and end-of-life guidance. Most brands already produce care labels -- start thinking about end-of-life guidance as a natural extension of that. What should a customer do when this garment reaches the end of its life? Can it be composted? Does a specific recycling scheme accept it?
Step four: Watch the technical standards. The European Commission will publish detailed technical specifications for how DPP data must be structured and accessed.9 Sign up for updates from the EU's ESPR working groups, or follow organizations like EURATEX, which are tracking the fashion-specific implementation.
The bigger picture
The Digital Product Passport is part of a broader shift in how regulators are thinking about fashion.10 Transparency is becoming a compliance requirement, not just a brand value. The brands that treat this as an opportunity to tell their story clearly -- rather than a bureaucratic burden -- will be better positioned with both regulators and consumers.
Independent designers who already know their makers, source thoughtfully, and care about materials are actually better placed to comply than many large brands. The work isn't starting from scratch -- it's formalizing what you may already know.
Start now, build gradually, and you'll be ready well before it matters.
Free Download: ifd Digital Passport
Supply Chain Mapping Template
Building toward DPP compliance starts with knowing your supply chain. We've created a free five-tab Excel template to help you map your suppliers, document your material composition, track certifications, write your end-of-life guidance, and check your overall readiness — all in one place.
Download the free template — no jargon, no complexity, just a practical tool to get started today.
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Editorial Disclaimer
The information in this article was researched and compiled with the assistance of AI tools and reflects sources available at the time of writing. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, regulations, timelines, and industry developments can change. IFD recommends verifying specific compliance requirements with a qualified legal or regulatory professional before making business decisions based on this content. Links to third-party sources are provided for reference and do not constitute endorsement. Inside Fashion Design is not liable for decisions made based on information contained in this article.
SOURCES:
1 Inriver — The Digital Product Passport applies to any product sold in the European market, even if manufactured or headquartered outside the EU. https://www.inriver.com/resources/digital-product-passport/
2 European Commission Green Forum — Implementing the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, entered into force June 2024). https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/implementing-ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en
3 Intertek — The Clock is Ticking: Get Ready for the EU's Ecodesign & Digital Product Passport. Textiles prioritised in ESPR Working Plan 2025-2030. https://www.intertek.com/blog/2025/05-28-eu-ecodesign-digital-product-passport/
4 Segura — The EU Digital Product Passport: What You Need to Know. Delegated act for textiles expected late 2026/early 2027, 18-month compliance window. https://www.segura.co.uk/resources/press/digital-product-passport-what-you-need-to-know
5 Worldly — The EU Digital Product Passport applies to products sold in the EU, regardless of where they are manufactured. https://worldly.io/resources/the-european-unions-digital-product-passport-what-suppliers-brands-and-retailers-need-to-know/
6 S-GE — The DPP does not only apply to companies based in the EU. All products in relevant categories entering the EU market must have a DPP, regardless of country of manufacture. https://www.s-ge.com/en/article/news/2026-e-france-ct10-eu-digital-product-passport
7 Retraced — DPP Regulatory Design Meets Fashion Reality. Data required covers materials, sourcing, durability, repairability, and environmental impact. https://www.retraced.com/blogs/magazine/dpp-regulatory-design-meets-fashion-reality-how-you-can-navigate-data-deadlines-and-delegated-acts
8 European Parliament Research Service — Digital Product Passport for the Textile Sector, EPRS Study 757808 (2024). https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2024/757808/EPRS_STU(2024)757808_EN.pdf
9 European Commission — ESPR Working Plan 2025-2030. DPP registry go-live July 2026. https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/implementing-ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en
10 TrusTrace — How Fashion Brands Can Prepare for the EU Digital Product Passport: A Practical Guide (2026). https://trustrace.com/knowledge-hub/how-fashion-brands-can-prepare-for-the-eu-digital-product-passport-a-practical-guide-1
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