EU prepares digital eco-passports for clothing — is the textile industry ready?

The European Union plans to gradually introduce digital product passports — starting with certain battery types from 2027, followed later by textiles and other product categories. By scanning a QR code, buyers will be able to learn what a product is made of and where, how much recycled material it contains, what environmental footprint its production left, and whether the item can be repaired or recycled.

Alexander Taraskin, a specialist from the Centre for Environmental Studies, explained on Radio 4 that the digital eco-passport is essentially a mini-dossier for a product. It will show not only the materials used but also repair options, origin, and components — for example, where the fabric for a shirt was produced, or which chemical components make up a battery. A key element will be information about the product's climate impact during manufacturing and transport.

According to Taraskin, the passport is not a static document — the information will keep being updated throughout the product's life, right up until it is recycled or destroyed. A pan-European registry already went live last month, applying to any company worldwide that wants to trade with the EU market.

Manufacturers must adapt

Obtaining reliable data on a product's environmental footprint is often difficult, since clothing production involves a long journey through various factories and countries. Estonian researchers found that information is frequently lost or incomplete along the way, and many companies lack the necessary software and supplier cooperation to track data across the entire supply chain.

Taraskin noted that the first years of the system's implementation will be challenging for manufacturers, but in the long run it could simplify work across many industries, including waste recycling. He advised companies to check out the registry, currently running in test mode, now, stressing that the system will gradually replace today's unevenly functioning voluntary mechanisms and provide motivation for recycling.