Digital Product Passport and textiles: how fabric traceability works

As concerns about the environmental and social impact of textile production increase, there is a growing demand for solutions that guarantee complete and accurate product tracking from raw material to final consumer. Here comes into play the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a technology that is revolutionising the way we follow and understand the path of textiles and clothing.

But how does this technology work in the textile industry? And why is it so important for the future of sustainable fashion? Let’s find out together!

1. What is the Digital Product Passport (DPP)?

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a technology that collects and stores all information related to a product, from its creation to its end of life. Imagine an electronic passport for each individual garment, easily accessible by consumers, manufacturers and even recyclers.

This technology is designed to ensure transparency and security, allowing all people involved in the product life cycle to access key information such as:

• the raw materials used

• The production processes used

• Ethical and environmental certification

• The disposal or recycling of the product

In short, each product is equipped with a digital code that traces its history and characteristics, ensuring that the information is always accessible and verifiable.

2. How does the traceability of tissues through DPP work?

The DPP allows you to trace every step of the product life cycle, from yarn production to final distribution. This process is made possible by the use of technologies such as blockchain and QR codes. Each item of clothing is accompanied by a digital label, which contains information on the production chain and its environmental impact.

2.1The fabric life cycle: how is it tracked?

Imagine buying a t-shirt knowing exactly where it comes from, how it was made and what it will be like when you decide not to wear it anymore. This is done with the Digital Product Passport.

1. Production of raw materials:It all starts with the cultivation of cotton, the harvesting of synthetic fibres or the processing of wool. The DPP collects key information, such as agricultural practices, pesticide or fertiliser use and material provenance. For example, you can find out if the cotton in your T-shirt was grown without pesticides on a small organic farm.
2. Processing and manufacturing:During weaving and dyeing, the DPP keeps track of the sustainability of the practices employed. Do they use eco-friendly dyes? Do they use processes that consume less water? These data are not just numbers, but tell the story of the boss. For example, you may find that your jeans have been made with a dyeing process that reduces water consumption by 50% compared to traditional methods.
3. Distribution and sale:The distribution and sales phase is also transparent: you know where the garment was produced and who helped to make it. It’s like having an “identity card” of your shirt that allows you to know who created it, perhaps in a local workshop that respects workers’ rights.
4. End of life and recycling: When it comes time to separate yourself from your boss, the DPP helps you know how to dispose of or recycle it properly. For example, your T-shirt could be made into a new yarn to create other garments, rather than end up in the landfill. In this way, you actively participate to the circular economy, Reducing waste and helping to give materials a second life.

3. The benefits of tissue traceability with DPP

Let’s now discover the concrete advantages of the Digital Product Passport:

3.1 Transparency and consumer confidence

With the Digital Product Passport (DPP), companies offer clear and verifiable information on each product, such as its origin and main features. This enables consumers to make more informed choices, putting transparency at the heart of their purchasing decisions.
For example, if a consumer is sensitive to sustainability, he has the option of choosing a product that comes from an ethical and low-impact supply chain. This kind of clarity makes consumers more confident about brands, increasing their loyalty.

3.2 Reduction of the risk of counterfeiting

Using the DPP, Producers guarantee the authenticity of their products, because each garment is associated with a unique digital identity that cannot be easily replicated. This means that consumers can check the authenticity of the product with a simple QR scanner.
Imagine you want to buy a luxury bag, perhaps a famous designer bag, and wonder if it is really original or if it is a counterfeit. With the Digital Product Passport (DPP), each bag has a unique code, such as a fingerprint, that you scan with your smartphone. This code will allow you to see immediately verified information about the product: where it comes from, who made it and if it is authentic.

3.3 Support for sustainability

With clear information on the life cycle of a product, Consumers make more informed choices, Encouraging products that respect the environment and workers’ rights, and companies monitor and improve their production practices, reducing waste and CO2 emissions. Take a t-shirt as an example: the DPP tells you if it is recyclable or if there is a return program where you can bring it back to give it a new life, avoiding it ending up in landfill.

Read also: Blockchain for fashion: how the Digital Product Passport works

Conclusion: the fashion of the future is now

In conclusion, the Digital Product Passport represents a key breakthrough for the textile industry, Improving transparency, sustainability and traceability of tissues. Thanks to this technology, consumers finally have access to all the information they need to make informed choices, while manufacturers optimize their production processes in a more sustainable way. The fashion of the future will be more ethical and transparent, and the Digital Product Passport plays a key role in this change.