AUTEX Research Journal, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2024, 20240002, DOI 10.

1515/aut-2024-0002

AN OVERVIEW OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING THE

DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT IN THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY
Jurgita Domskienė1*, Eliza Gaidule2

1 Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design, Studentu str. 56, LT51424, Kaunas, Lithuania
2 Riga Technical University, Institute of Architecture and Design, Ķīpsalas str. 6, LV1048, Riga, Latvia
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

The textile and clothing industry is undergoing a shift towards a circular business model, driven by new European
Commission regulations, which mandates that by 2030, textile products available on the European Union (EU)
market must be recyclable and sustainable. To facilitate data collection, storage, and sharing throughout the entire
product lifecycle and ensure product traceability and sustainability, the use of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) will
be required. This article presents an analysis of the most commonly known digital data technologies from the
perspective of their use in digital garment labelling, describing their advantages and limitations. The analysis is
complemented by practical insights gathered from semi-structured interviews with garment producers in the Baltic
Sea region. The survey revealed that producers prioritise sustainability and are prepared to digitise product informa-
tion but are awaiting EU’s clear guidance. Despite the challenges posed by DPP implementation from the global,
producer, and customer perspectives, upcoming regulations are seen as providing new competitive opportunities for
products and services. Both the technology analysis and the expert survey indicate that QR (quick response)-based
smart tags are potentially the most straightforward solution for the initial phase of DPP implementation.

Keywords:

Digital Product Passport, textile, clothing, sustainability, digitisation, Baltic Sea region

1. Introduction relevant information along the entire life cycle of the product
[5,6], so that the product becomes traceable and more sustain-
The European Commission (EC) adopted the new Circular able: easier to reuse, remake, and recycle, because its origin is
Economy Action Plan (CEAP) [1] in 2020 outlining the transition known.
of European economy from recent linear structures to a circular
model. It is one of the key documents of the European Green Starting from the concept of DPP, the current article analyses
Deal for sustainable growth of Europe. the most commonly known technologies from the perspective
of its use in digital garment labelling and describes its advan-
The EC identified textiles (clothing and fabrics) as a priority tages and limitations. The literature-based analysis is comple-
product category within a circular economy [2]. The textile mented by the practical insights from clothing producers’ side
and clothing industry has significant environmental impacts, on the upcoming requirements to transform the industry and
and a circular business model will require effective policies to ensure circular garment lifecycle. The semi-structured interviews
reduce the negative impact of the huge volume of textile pro- with companies in the Baltic Sea region revealed producers’
ducts on the environment, economy, and human lifestyle [3]. To attitudes towards sustainability issues and their willingness to
redesign a business model to a circular one, the challenge will take action. The concluding discussion on the challenges for
be to promote sustainability at each stage of the product devel- DPP implementation in the textile and clothing business from
opment chain, making it more understandable, predictable, and the global, producer, and customer perspectives is presented.
accessible to producers and consumers.

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles aims to 2. DPP in the textile and fashion sector
ensure that by 2030, textile products available on the European
Union (EU) market are recyclable and sustainable [2,4]. Require- DPP becomes a centre of the discussions aiming the transition
ments for textile products include a specific eco-design to mini- of textile and fashion sector towards circularity [7,8] and digiti-
mise carbon and environmental footprints, extending mandatory sation [7,9].
producer responsibility and requiring more user-focused infor-
mation [4]. The approach of digitalising product information is DPP has been identified as a tool that integrates different data-
fully in line with the production and consumption model of the sets about a garment from all its lifecycle stages [10]. It is
circular economy, the main goal of which is to extend the pro- expected that the system based on DPP will provide data
duct’s life cycle. The implementation of Digital Product Passports from garment production, usage, and post-usage stages [4,9]
(DPPs) enables data collection, storage, and share all the (Figure 1). DPP opens the opportunity to provide technical and

© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
AUTEX Research Journal, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2024, 20240002, DOI 10.1515/aut-2024-0002

Figure 1. Stages of clothing lifecycle and circularity.

environmental information about garment production stage, already in the process of implementing digital labelling; how-
instructions for garment care during usage stage and recom- ever, a unified solution for the mass implementation of DPP in
mendations how garment or various parts of it can be recycled the textile industry has not yet been proposed. The most com-
or disposed of at the end of garment usage. As currently envi- monly known technologies were chosen for analysis based on
sioned, DPP would prominently involve consumers as active their use in textile and clothing business.
participants to ensure the circularity of the garment lifecycle.

DPP will allow us to trace the entire production stage from 3.1. Barcodes
material to retail, and these data will add significant input to
customers’ decision on buying a more sustainable and durable A barcode is the most visually recognisable Universal Product
product. The consumer engagement in sustainability will be Code (UPC) represented as multiple vertical lines (barcode)
provided by DPP data from garment usage stage. DPP could and a 12-digit UPC number. Later, using different geometric
ensure product authenticity and increase of the secondary patterns, two-dimensional (2D) QR codes were developed.
market, as well as initiate new product lifecycle and secure a QR codes are effective for inventory management and asses-
circular fashion business model (Figure 1) [4,11,12]. sing product availability and are widely used in the internal
processes of different companies. First of all, labelling with
Most product-related data across the entire life cycle from pro- QR codes was adapted to improve the customer experience
duction to usage, reuse, and recycling exist but are currently in the retail by providing specific information about product and
not accessible to all actors along the value chain [13]. DPP could attracting attention. For example, the customer can learn more
be accessed online by a physical tag of the product coupled to a about the features of functional clothing through the QR code
unique data identifier (such as a bar code, QR [quick response] used in the garment label [14,15].
code, or other data-capture media) via a mobile device.
An online archive for the textile companies to keep detailed
Both technological and information management challenges information about the fabrics could be available through the
need to be overcome to successfully implement the DPP in a QR Code Fabric Tag system [16]. The CEO of H&M Karl-Johan
specific textile product market. In recent years, a number of Persson was considering a QR code system for clothing labels
studies have been carried out to develop a framework for to trace the environmental and social footprint of H&M gar-
DPP implementation. However, the technical integration of ments in 2015 [17]. The Fabapp® platform accessed via QR
DPP in the textile and clothing sector has been analysed in a scanning was used to simulate a smart tag framework for textile
very fragmented way. products [18]. The information on production processes, as well
as guidance for users and manufacturers in the post-usage
stage for recycling, aiming to reintegrate these products into
3. Analysis of potential technologies for DPP a new lifecycle was provided by a digital tag.

Different data sharing and management technologies in the QR codes may carry access to a variety of information. To
form of digital tags do exist on the market, each with its own achieve the goal of QR code utilisation, it is crucial that the
unique features and limitations. Already existing commercial codes can be applied on different surfaces, even on textiles
smart tags are applied for renting of uniforms and workwear, [14,19], using printing [15], heat transfer, embroidery [20],
or hospitality linen management. Several fashion brands are and other applicable techniques.

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QR scanners were used to read the information on the code, NFC operates within a limited range, typically around 10 cm.
but nowadays any consumer who has a digital device – a To overcome this limitation, researchers at the University of
smartphone or tablet with a built-in camera – can read the California, Irvine (UCI), have developed a novel high-tech fabric
information stored on the code. This feature is very important and extended the range of wireless transmission technology to
for convenient QR code usage by customers. more than 120 cm [34].

3.2. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) 3.4. Blockchain technology (BT)

RFID tags are commonly used in both commercial and con- BT has the potential to significantly accelerate the transition to a
sumer sectors. RFID technology enables supply chain man- circular economy as this technology is already being used in
agement and enhances visibility by tracking products from many industries to increase transparency and traceability [35].
manufacturing to retail. Producers employ them to detect and The BT has been examined in food [36,37], pharmaceutical
track products automatically during production processes to [38], and fashion sectors [39–41].
determine bottlenecks and retailers to trace products in ware-
houses and points of sales. Tags vary greatly in size, shape, The smart tags (QR or RFID) integrated with blockchain could
and frequency range: low, high, and ultra-high. A special wire- ensure that each production process is recorded and regis-
less RFID reader is used to pick up an RF signal and to read it. tered, and consumers can track the entire information and
verify the authenticity of the product not only during the retail
While active RFID tags cost up to tens of euros, a passive RFID stage but also when initiating the post-usage stage by offering
tag only costs a few cents. RFID solutions such as paper tags the product to resale or reusage.
[21], button tags [22], plastic tags [23], embroidered tags [24],
and others can even offer washable and ironable options. The The patent obtained by Nike company [42] has shown that a
RFID tag in the form of a thread is offered by RFiD THREADS®, unique digital asset code could serve as a form of DPP for
and the company states that a micro-chip could stay with the blockchain-secured retail products. In 2018, a limited edition
product for life and can continue to collect full life cycle assess- Nike sneakers with an embedded NFC chip were offered for
ment (LCA) data [25]. consumers through the NikeConnect app to obtain the certifi-
cate of authenticity and detailed product information [43]. Few
RFID tags, as opposed to QR codes, may store a lot more data, years earlier, in 2015, Greats x Beastmode 2.0 Royale Chukka
including product details, special identification numbers, and sneakers were produced with smart labels recorded on the
even location data. However, still they are more expensive blockchain and could be scanned with a smartphone [44].
than QR codes, which can be an issue for textile and clothing The VeChain app was used to verify the authenticity of Baby-
business. ghost product that had either an NFC chip or a QR code. In
2019, LVMH launched a first luxury blockchain platform Aura
3.3. Near-field communication (NFC) [45] to provide the traceability and authenticity of luxury goods’
production process. A blockchain-based LCA framework was
NFC is a widely recognised wireless technology used to transfer analysed using leather handbags as a case study to explore
data, share media, and perform other functions between two circularity opportunities through enhanced traceability and data
nearby devices. NFC offers a faster and more secure alternative sharing [40]. The research highlighted the critical role of supply
to QR codes for many short-range applications, including mobile chain actors’ collaboration in establishing transparency and
payments [26]. NFC permits two-way communication as trust and noted the lack of specific protocols in the textile and
opposed to QR and RFID, which only permits one-way com- fashion sector.
munication [27]. NFC tags can wirelessly accept power from
an NFC reader through electromagnetic induction [27]. The
simplest NFC tags are frequently constructed in the form of 3.5. Comparison from the perspective of DPP usage
squares or circular and are available in a very wide range of
formats from iron-on textile stickers to sew-on buttons [28,29]. The potential of current data management technologies to con-
NFC tags can withstand bending, washing, dry cleaning, and tribute to achieving the sustainability goals of the industry
ironing, making them suitable for garment labelling [30,31] or through DPPs depends on addressing producers’ interests,
for authentication to prevent URL copying and unauthorised protecting the uniqueness of the product, and providing consu-
use [28]. mers with sufficient information about the product at different
stages of its usage. From the exploitation side, smart tags sui-
Near-field-responsive patterns were developed using printed table for the clothing garments should be durable in the wearing
and computer-embroidered conductive threads [32]. These and laundry environments, of low cost, flexible, easy to mass
patterns were utilised to create textile-based smart tags that produce, and comfortable for flexible textile items [46].
are free of fragile components and offer significant tactile ben-
efits, seamlessly integrating with clothing. Digital labels as tex- More specifically, Table 1 presents an analysis of the pros and
tile product ID cards have already been tested by the brand cons of utilising digital technologies from the perspective of
Désirée, which adopted the NFC technology inside their pro- DPP usage to secure garment traceability throughout the entire
duct label [33]. lifecycle.

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Table 1. Comparison of technologies

Pros Cons
QR code Globally recognised certificate One-way communication
For producers, known technology that is used to Cannot be used to trace data of garment usage
access existing databases
Customers are convenient with the technology Nonsecured access to data (no confidential or personal
sensitive information could be provided)
Smart phone as a reader needed to access data
Easy implementation and production
Low cost
Applicable for different techniques (printing, heat
transfer, sublimation, and embroidery)
Labels durable to washing and wear
RFID Technology already applied and used by producers One way communication
and convenient for customers
Various types: tags, buttons, embroidered, and Needs a special reader
printed
Can be used to access data and for automatic More expensive than QR codes
process tracking
Labels durable and washable
Has different distances to be activated and can
provide only personal access to data
Passive and active type
Could be used with the QR code to secure benefits of
each technology
NFC Two way or one way communication Needs a special reader
High security level and prevents from copying Short range application
Quick access to data Costly
Labels with an iron-on sticker or buttons Woven type; under development
Durable and washable

While RFID tags have higher functionality and connectivity (e.g. 4. Study of producers’ experience
scannable in bulk remotely), QR tags are often a lot cheaper,
and a fashion retailer can tag every piece of clothing in a store In order to fulfil results of the literature-based analysis with
with it. The QR code is more practical as it is easier to generate. practical insights from the experts in the field, the interviews
NFC technology is reliable and cost effective; however, woven of clothing production companies in the Baltic Sea region
or printed on textile NFC antennas/tags are not ready for mass were carried out.
production, and such technologies are still under development.
4.1. Experts’ survey
Several brands and researchers are developing new trace-
ability solutions to adapt digital data sharing technologies to To explore the producers’ attitude towards the EC’s call for
the requirements of textile products. The University of Borås textile companies to take responsibility by introducing product
has announced that Tarun Kumar Agrawal developed unique labelling based on upcoming DPP requirements, semi-struc-
“cryptotags” containing tiny particles, which randomly form a tured interviews with ten experts of Lithuania and Latvia com-
unique pattern [47]. The tag was successfully tested at the panies were conducted between June and August 2023. To
lab scale. A group of Chinese scientists tested a new technical strengthen the power of situation analysis, the information
solution of hybrid tag where the barcode and RFID technolo- provided in the company’s website and public statements of
gies are combined [48]. company representatives were collected and examined. The
interview started with questions to collect general information
Since the analysed technologies are already used in busi- about company’s profile, followed by a more specific discussion
nesses, a survey of company experts was conducted. based on five questions with short introduction to each of them.

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The representatives of production companies were asked “[…] confirmed that the operation of production equipment and the
to describe the company’s attitude towards the European transportation of materials were carried out using modern tech-
Commission’s call for textile companies to take responsibility nologies that are friendly to the environment and secure a lower
and take action to reduce their carbon and environmental foot- CO2 footprint.
prints, and how this call is relevant in the company,” and “what
actions being done to make it happen?” The second question Clothing production companies in Latvia and Lithuania are
was “What activities are carried out in company to ensure the increasingly thinking about sustainable design, sticking to
sustainability of the product and the full cycle of the product frugal, practical, and classic values in design development, as
circulation?” The last three questions were related to scenarios well as taking care of the quality of fabric and sewing, so that
of technological implementation: it was asked, whether “the com- the clothes last for a long time. The experts also agreed that
pany is bound by the European Commission’s recommendation additional information on materials sustainability or recommen-
on the implementation of DPP,” “what benefits and risks are dations for sustainable care, as well as recommendations for
assessed for the implementation in practice,” “whether the com- garment disposal or reuse, could be valuable to their consu-
pany is committed to implementing DPP,” and “what technology mers and add higher value to their products. However, this
would be the most suitable” to fulfil upcoming garment trace- information is not currently mandatory and is not provided by
ability requirements. brands and producers.

In the technology section of the interview, three topics were

4.2. Producers’ attitude towards sustainability and DPP discussed with experts: whether the company is committed to
implementing DPP in accordance with forthcoming EC regula-
The answers of producers showed a positive attitude to EC’s tions, how the whole process could work in practice, and which
CEAP to launch a new strategy to make textiles more durable, technology would be most suitable. It must be admitted that the
repairable, reusable, and recyclable. Experts of companies questions in this section were somewhat more confusing for
confirm that they regularly review their operations, eliminate experts. The companies participating in the survey were fairly
deficiencies, and hire external consultants to analyse the busi- unanimous in recognising that the EC recommendations are
ness impact of other EU Green Deal initiatives. binding, however only two of them were more convenient with
the DPP, while others stated that they were waiting for more
With the second question of the interview, the experts were precise guidance and support from local legislation on how the
invited to discuss about the activities that are carried out to EC recommendations should be implemented. Consequently, it
ensure the sustainability of their product. The labels provide was mentioned that the actions related to these issues and how
customers with the information of product origin country, mate- they should be taken are not entirely clear. The companies are
rial’s composition, and product care requirements, as well as a ready to implement a DPP, as long as there is additional sup-
visible certificate of the fabric quality, whether the fabric is port for producers to take all the necessary steps.
organic or, for example, recycled. However, before the new
labelling regulations come into force, there are already discus- At the same time, however, it was also noted that companies
sions that the existing labelling of garments is insufficient and store data related to the garment production in various data-
does not provide customers with relevant information about bases: for example, products are tagged with RFID tags for
production ethics and how rights of workers are protected inventory purposes in warehouses, while QR codes work well
[14]. The identification of the composition of material is neces- at the level of product orders. In order to successfully imple-
sary in order to ensure efficient recycling of used textiles. ment DPP, it is necessary to understand how to combine the
Although the raw material must be indicated on the garment existing technologies and databases with each other, what
label, that information is not enough, and it is claimed that information should be directly disclosed to the customer, and
information about raw material is still a barrier to implement for how long this information needs to be provided. Discussions
the circular economy in the textile sector [49]. The active invol- with experts revealed that companies are concerned about the
vement of the customers is necessary to ensure the sorting and workforce they will need to fulfil upcoming requirements. The
recycling process of end-of-use textile garment. Encouraging implementation of the DPP is not only about technology but
consumers to classify garments based on the type of textile also about a fundamental reorganisation of the entire existing
fibre before disposal is crucial. The low reliability of the current system. In order to achieve this in a unified and successful
garment labels is a significant factor affecting consumer parti- manner, it is essential that the EU develops uniform guidelines
cipation in textile recycling efforts [50]. for the next steps.

Sustainability is an important issue for producers. Company “A” Lithuanian company “C” states that they are aware of the imple-
(Latvia) says: “we only use fabrics from recycled plastic waste, mentation of DPP and take it into account as some of their
we only buy fabrics in white and dye them ourselves with the customers are interested in DPP, but the company also notes
help of sublimation (it’s a waterless system), we use scraps and that there are currently no uniform rules at the EU level and
leftovers for new products, we donate our waste to new pro- therefore it is not entirely clear what actions should be taken.
ducts, we only produce custom-made clothes, we avoid micro- The company is working more on risk management related to
plastics, we re-use packaging.” Company “B” (Latvia) provides the implementation of the DPP. International standards and
CMT (cut, make, and trim) services for fashion brands and does certification need to be implemented for the garments produced
not engage in direct product design. However, the company outside the EU market, and these production volumes are high.

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Company “D” (Lithuania) has revealed the experience of the Challenges for DPP implementation from the global
LTP Group [51] utilising sustainability and transparency. The perspective:
company developed a mobile application Consciously Crafted®
app and a concept “tailored to individual brands, … designed − In globally distributed supply chain where stakeholders are
specifically for the end-consumer and … accessible via QR geographically remote and operate in many countries with
codes featured on labels and hangtags, developed to provide different regulations and legal systems.
insight for customers to verify marketing claims, the app can
provide vital information about the manufacturer behind the gar- − A huge variety of garments are produced globally and items
ment, environmental and social conditions, material choices, are sold in the global market. As a result, there are very
how to care for the products etc.” [51]. However, the application large volumes of products circulating in the market and
that was created in 2020 is still under limited access. keeping track of them and storing information about them
for a long period of time is an inconceivable task.
The survey indicates that companies regularly monitor require-
ments, especially those related to sustainability requirements − A universal system to store and manage data needs to be
for products and production. Producers are concerned about aligned with existing processes and gradually transitioned to it.
sustainable production and are willing to take on more respon-
sibility, but they lack clear guidance on how the process will be − Gradual transition to DPP will not ensure a rapid reduction
done and how producers’ competitiveness will be protected. It in waste. The increasing focus on reuse, repairs, etc. is
should also be mentioned that the technological side of the likely to increase the amount of used products on the
forthcoming requirements to implement product traceability market that are not tracked and documented in any way.
based on DPP is unclear. Garment production companies are
ready to adapt their processes digitalising product information, Challenges for DPP implementation from the producers’
but EU documentation is awaited first, as there is a lack of clear perspective:
guidance on how to proceed. Textile and clothing companies
are ready to respond flexibly to consumer demand for more − The complex multi-stage supply chain involves a number of
detailed, user-orientated information about products and to processes to transform materials into garments, so there is
share their experience on how to reduce the environmental a need to standardise the data required;
impact of their products throughout the entire lifecycle. With
the upcoming EU regulations, Lithuanian and Latvian produ- − A transparent system to verify processes, materials, and
cers see new competitive opportunities for their products and accessories across the value chain;
CMT services, although they agree that DPP could be a good
practice to introduce circular business models and increase the − Technological capabilities and capacities;
added value of products.
− Sustainability requirements – despite the DPP’s ambition to
increase sustainability and reduce emissions, the choice of
5. Discussion technology is also a challenge for producers, on whose
shoulders the sustainability requirements are transferred;
Although the forthcoming EU regulations indicate that the main
objective of DPP is to increase the sustainability of the textile − Cost-related resources to set up the system, collect the
and clothing business, however, in reality, this will be difficult to data, and verify access to the data over time. The avail-
achieve. First of all, the products of the industry are very diverse ability of data for the entire garment lifecycle must be
and reflect different user expectations in terms of both durability considered.
and sustainability.
Challenges for DPP implementation from the consumer
DPP should be tailored to each specific product, considering perspective:
different approaches depending on whether the garment is a
high value-added branded or functional sportswear garment, or − Sensitive personal data and continuous tracking.
a lower value-added garment. For mass-produced lower-value Consumers care about whether their data are stored
products, it is more likely that DPP will be created for a parti- securely and whether the technology used is secure
cular batch or product series [52]. Meanwhile, DPP could pro- and compliant;
vide exclusivity to expensive niche garments, associating them
with a higher added value and a circular product lifecycle. − How attractive is the additional requirement for consumers
Similar to the electronics or automotive industry, such products to check product information not only at the point of pur-
could be individually tracked to create detailed usage histories, chase but also when the product is put in the washing
enabling producers to offer lifetime product warranties and machine or thrown in the bin? How to ensure that this
repair services. Sorting and recycling processes for such end- does not become an unused expensive option? On the other
of-life products would become clearer and easier to manage. hand, millennials are already constantly checking everything
Additionally, it is observed that DPP can play an important role online, and smart homes are adopting advanced technolo-
in developing the second-hand marketplace [11]. gies that can potentially automatically link the clothes you

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buy to a smart wardrobe, smart washing machine, waste A new Circular Economy Action Plan. 2020, Brussels.
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Funding information: The part of the research has received www.ipoint-systems.com/solutions/digital-product-
funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), passport/ (accessed on 22 September 2022).
agreement No. P-SV-23-410. [8] Adisorn, T., Tholen, L., Götz, T. (2021). Towards a digital
product passport fit for contributing to a circular economy.
Author contributions: Jurgita Domskienė: Conceptualization, Energies, 14, 2289.
Methodology, Writing – Reviewing and Editing, Supervision. [9] Digital circular economy as a cornerstone of a sustainable
Eliza Gaidule: Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, European industry transformation. (2020). Retrieved 05,
Writing – Original draft preparation. 2024. https://www.era-min.eu/sites/default/files/publications/
201023_ecera_white_paper_on_digital_circular_
economy.pdf.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
[10] Walden, J., Steinbrecher, A., Marinkovic, M. (2021). Digital
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Ethical approval: The conducted research was not related to
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