As Europe pushes forward with ambitious sustainability goals, the spotlight is on product transparency - and at the heart of this movement is the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a cornerstone of the European Commission’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), expected to launch in 2026.
The DPP will track essential product details, from origin and materials to environmental impact and disposal options.
In this article, we’ll spotlight companies that are already leading the way in sustainability and transparency. These businesses are taking proactive steps to disclose each product’s full lifecycle- from sourcing and production to disposal or recycling options.
Let’s learn from those preparing now for upcoming DPP regulations!
Essential Steps to Prepare for DPP Compliance
While digital IDs, QR codes, and blockchain technology enable these efforts, the foundation is product data.
Efficient management of this data requires a PIM system, which serves as the backbone for ensuring consistent and transparent product information across all channels - a critical factor in meeting DPP requirements and building customer trust.
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As a PIM provider, we help our customers comply with this new regulation to ensure they can continue selling in the European market.
Let’s look at some real-life examples of companies gearing up for the Digital Product Passport regulation. These are the pros, so let’s see what we can learn from them:
1. Nobody's Child: Pioneering Digital Product Passports
Nobody’s Child, a brand known for its commitment to sustainability and transparency, is leading the way in fashion by piloting Digital Product Passports (DPPs).
Through a simple QR code on each garment’s care label, customers can explore the journey of their clothing - from fabric sourcing to production details - all in a few quick steps. In partnership with Fabacus, Nobody’s Child gathers key data on the environmental impact and supply chain for each piece, making this information easy to access and understand.
Source: Nobody's Child
As the EU’s Ecodesign regulations approach, which will soon make DPPs a requirement, Nobody’s Child is already setting a new standard for traceability.
The brand sees DPPs as more than a compliance tool - they’re a bridge between how products are made and how customers connect with them.
Plans include expanding DPP features to offer personalised content and new shopping experiences, making this initiative a long-term commitment to responsible fashion.
2. ASKET: Impact Receipt for Sustainable Fashion
In November 2023, ASKET, a Swedish brand committed to sustainable fashion, introduced the “Impact Receipt” to give customers a clear view of the environmental footprint of their purchases.
This receipt, provided in addition to the standard sales receipt and also sent via email, details the environmental costs associated with each item in the order. It includes information on CO2e emissions, water usage, and energy consumption for each garment, as well as the emissions related to the packaging and shipping choice.
Source: ASKET
ASKET’s founders launched this project to address overconsumption by making these environmental impacts visible to their customers. As co-founder August Bard Bringéus explains, “unless we put a price on our planet’s resources, we’ll never make concessions to the consumption we’ve been taught we’re entitled to.”
By providing this level of transparency, ASKET hopes to encourage consumers to make more eco-conscious choices, avoid unnecessary shopping, and prioritise the longevity of their clothing.
3. PANGAIA: ReWear Digital ID
PANGAIA, a UK-based fashion brand known for its sustainability focus and science-driven materials, launched the ReWear platform to encourage circular fashion and reduce waste.
With the help of EON’s digital ID technology, each garment in PANGAIA's collection is equipped with a QR code that allows customers to explore the full lifecycle of the product. By scanning this code, customers can access its digital passport and view detailed information about the garment’s history, materials, and environmental impact, providing transparency into its journey from production to purchase.
Source: Pangaia ReWear website
But that’s not all PANGAIA is doing.
PANGAIA also introduced ReWear, a digital passport-enabled peer-to-peer resale platform that makes it easy for customers to resell their PANGAIA garments. When a customer scans the same QR code on their garment, ReWear automatically pulls the product details from the digital passport, streamlining the listing process and reducing the effort required from the customer.
This simple and fuss-free reselling process allows sellers to pass on their garments to new buyers, keeping these items out of landfills and extending their lifespan. It’s a win-win: customers get to refresh their wardrobe sustainably, and each garment enjoys a longer, more meaningful life.
As the PANGAIA Collective notes, “When reselling an item becomes this easy - and trustworthy - then resale becomes much more appealing to the average consumer.”
4. Everledger: Powering Transparency with the Battery Passport
Everledger, a digital transparency company, and Ford Motor Company have joined forces to launch a pilot for a Battery Passport aimed at tracking the lifecycle of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
This initiative, part of the Global Battery Alliance, uses blockchain, artificial intelligence, and auto-identification technologies to document each battery’s journey from raw material sourcing to recycling. The passport provides stakeholders with crucial data on a battery's origins and composition, promoting responsible sourcing and ethical recycling practices.
Source: Everledger
For Ford, this passport represents a significant step towards sustainable electric vehicle production by ensuring that EV batteries are ethically sourced and environmentally managed throughout their lifecycle.
The Battery Passport sets a high bar for transparency and accountability in the EV industry, encouraging sustainable practices from manufacturers and consumers alike.
5. H&M Group: Empowering Sustainable Fashion
Rethinking the future of fashion, H&M Group has introduced Digital IDs in its Men’s Essentials Collection.
By simply scanning a QR code on each item, customers can instantly access the garment’s full journey - from materials sourcing to care and recycling options. This feature places essential information right at customers’ fingertips, making sustainable choices easier than ever.
Source: EON
"Through the Digital ID, our products become a continuous gateway to customers, creating a new channel for storytelling, aftercare, styling advice and sustainability information, along with services for recycling. By bringing more information to customers, we can build trust and encourage participation in circular models," says Pascal Brun, Head of Sustainability, H&M.
6. Decathlon: Enhancing Product Transparency with RFID Technology
Decathlon, a leading global retailer of sporting goods, sells over 600 million products annually through a network of more than 900 stores across Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia.
To enhance product traceability and operational efficiency, Decathlon has deployed RFID technology worldwide, equipping nearly 50,000 retail entities - including factories, warehouses, and stores - with in-house designed RFID readers.
Source: Decathlon
By embedding RFID tags in its products, Decathlon enables precise tracking from production to store shelves. This energy-efficient technology, powered solely by radio waves from RFID readers without an external energy source, aligns with Decathlon’s commitment to minimising environmental impact while improving the customer experience.
This technology also provides customers with real-time access to product information, such as origin, materials, and availability. With a quick scan, shoppers can verify product details and make more informed choices.
7. Nespresso: Setting New Standards in Coffee Supply Chain Transparency
Nespresso has partnered with social impact start-up OpenSC to introduce unprecedented transparency in tracing its Reviving Origins organic coffee, KAHAWA ya CONGO.
Using OpenSC’s technology, every bag of coffee from the 1,185 smallholder farms in South Kivu’s is digitally tracked from farm to consumer. This partnership ensures that each farmer is fairly compensated for their produce through verified payments, delivered via mobile money or cash.
By scanning a QR code, customers can access this data, learning about the journey from coffee beans to finished product:
Source: Nespresso
8. Unspun’s Genesis Jeans: Redefining Denim with Circular Technology
As part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign Program, Unspun’s Genesis Jeans is another example of the fashion company addressing the environmental impacts of traditional denim production, such as high water and energy consumption.
Each pair is crafted using innovative materials, like Resortecs’ recyclable stitching threads, and embedded with a QR code powered by Eon’s Circular ID Protocol. This code allows customers to access a care guide, while retailers and recyclers can retrieve core product data, including origin, materials, and lifecycle information - promoting transparency and simplifying resell and recycling.
Source: H&M Foundation
Unspun’s 3D body scan technology enables mass customisation, tailoring jeans to each customer and reducing waste.
9. Austral Fisheries: Transforming Transparency in the Food Industry
While most examples of digital transparency focus on retail and fashion, the initiative by WWF-Australia and BCG Digital Ventures with OpenSC platform brings a unique approach to tracking ethical and sustainable sourcing in the food industry.
OpenSC uses blockchain and digital tags, such as RFID, to monitor items right from their origin, ensuring complete traceability throughout the supply chain. The platform was initially demonstrated with Austral Fisheries' Glacier 51 Toothfish, where each fish’s journey - from being sustainably caught to reaching the consumer - is recorded immutably on the blockchain.
Source: Austral Fisheries
This innovation allows consumers and businesses to scan a product’s QR code and instantly view detailed information on its origin, production methods, and journey along the supply chain. OpenSC even logs specific conditions, such as storage temperature, which is essential for quality and safety.
10. Cadbury: A Digital Leap Toward Sustainable Snacking
For those who crave their favourite Cadbury treats with a side of sustainability, the Snacking Right platform offers an exciting, eco-conscious experience.
Accessible through QR codes on Cadbury packaging, this digital initiative provides customers with recycling and disposal guidance tailored to local resources and return-to-store options.
The platform also introduces “Mindful Snacking,” developed with behavioural experts to encourage intentional enjoyment of Cadbury products. With Snacking Right, Mondelez International engages consumers directly in its sustainability journey, helping them play an active role in reducing environmental impact while enjoying their favourite treats.
Source: Cadbury
Conclusion
The shift toward sustainable solutions is driven by more than just regulatory requirements like the EU’s upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP). It reflects a profound change in consumer expectations, with today’s customers increasingly seeking transparency and purpose in the products they buy.
To achieve this level of transparency, businesses need a robust system to manage product data accurately and consistently across all channels. A Product Information Management (PIM) solution provides this foundation, ensuring that information on each product remains accurate, consistent, and complete, whether for the DPP or other consumer touchpoints.
For companies ready to step into a sustainability-driven market, adopting PIM is a key strategy for growth and compliance. Connect with our advisors to learn more, watch our quick demo video, or book a session to explore the advantages of Bluestone’s PIM solution and how it can align your brand with this transformative shift in e-commerce.
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