Imagine a second-hand shop in 2031 scanning a jacket and seeing its fibre content, care history and recycling route in seconds. That is the promise of the Digital Product Passport, and for clothing, the doorway to it will almost certainly be a code on a label.
The detailed textile rules have not been adopted yet. That is exactly why now is a good time to plan: decisions about label layout, materials and identifiers are easier to make calmly, ahead of a deadline. As a manufacturer of QR and DPP-ready labels, we summarise here what is decided, what is expected and how your labels can be ready. This is general information as of late 2026, not legal advice; dates and details may change.
The legal framework
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, entered into force on 18 July 2024. It is a framework: the European Commission adopts delegated acts for specific product groups, which can set performance requirements such as durability and recycled content, and information requirements, including a Digital Product Passport. In its 2025–2030 working plan, published in April 2025, the Commission named textiles, with apparel first, among the priority product groups.
Where things stand
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| ESPR in force | Decided: 18 July 2024 |
| Textiles as a priority group | Decided: working plan, April 2025 |
| EU registry of passport identifiers | Required by ESPR by 19 July 2026; stores identifiers, not passport content |
| Ban on destroying unsold apparel and footwear | Large companies from 19 July 2026; medium-sized from 19 July 2030 |
| Delegated act for apparel | Expected; indicatively planned for 2027 |
| Passport obligation for textiles | Expected; with at least 18 months between adoption and application, most estimates point to 2029 at the earliest |
Treat every future date as provisional. The delegated act will fix scope, data fields and deadlines, and may include transitional rules for smaller companies.
What the passport will probably contain
ESPR lists the kinds of information a delegated act may require. For textiles, preparatory work points towards:
- a unique product identifier and the identity of the manufacturer or importer;
- fibre composition, including recycled content;
- substances of concern;
- care, repair and reuse information;
- durability characteristics;
- sorting, disassembly and recycling guidance;
- compliance documents and certificates.
Still open: whether the passport applies per model, per batch or per item, who may read which data, and how long it must stay online. The answer will decide whether each garment needs a unique code or one code per style is enough.
The passport does not replace the physical label. Under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, fibre composition must still appear on the garment in the required languages.
Choosing the data carrier
ESPR requires the passport to be reachable through a data carrier linked to a unique identifier and physically present on the product, its packaging or accompanying documents, as the delegated act specifies. It does not prescribe a technology. For clothing, a QR code is the most practical candidate: any smartphone reads it, it can be printed or woven, and it adds very little to a label. NFC and RFID can be added as further carriers.
The code should point to a short, stable web address instead of storing data itself. The information behind it can then be updated without reprinting. Many brands build that address on existing product numbers such as the GTINs in their barcodes.
Four places to put the code
- On the care label. The most natural home: it is permanent, lasts as long as the garment and already holds composition data. We can lay out a code panel next to the care symbols on satin or taffeta. See care labels.
- On a dedicated QR label. A small separate printed or woven label gives the code its own quiet zone. Woven codes are very robust but need more space, since thread resolution is coarser than print.
- As a heat transfer. For tagless sportswear and babywear, the code can sit within the heat transfer neck print.
- On the swing tag. Good for marketing and in-store scanning, but removed after purchase, so it complements rather than replaces a permanent code.
Making the code last
A passport code must still scan in a repair shop or sorting centre years later. Three factors make the difference:
- Base and print method: resin thermal transfer on satin or taffeta, or a high-density woven code, lasts far better than ink on cotton.
- Size and contrast: dark modules on a light background, a clear quiet zone and modules large enough for fabric texture.
- Error correction: a medium or higher level tolerates minor wear and creasing.
We recommend scanning samples after repeated washes at the declared temperature before approving bulk production.
What you can do this season
- Collect composition, recycled-content, origin, care and repair data; most passport work is data, not printing.
- Decide how you identify products, by style, batch or item, and keep it consistent.
- Reserve space for a code panel when you next redesign a care label.
- Pilot a QR code on one line, linked to a page with care and composition information.
- Use a domain and URL structure you control, so printed codes keep working whichever passport service you choose later.
Our QR and DPP labels page lists code sizes for each label type. As the manufacturer, we prepare a digital proof, produce wash-test samples and typically deliver bulk orders within 10–20 working days across the EU.
Frequently asked questions
Is the textile Digital Product Passport mandatory already?
Not yet. The delegated act for apparel is expected around 2027, and most estimates place the obligation in 2029 at the earliest. Dates may change.
Will a QR code replace the care label?
No. Fibre composition must still be shown on a physical label in the required languages. The QR code adds a digital layer alongside it.
Should the code be on the care label or a separate label?
The care label is the most natural place because it is permanent. A separate small label gives the code more space and a clean quiet zone. Both work if the code survives washing.
Can I add QR codes to my labels before the rules are final?
Yes. Linking to a stable product page with care and composition information is useful today, and the same address can later lead to the passport data.
