Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are no longer an experimental transparency tool. In 2026, they become core infrastructure for the fashion industry, reshaping how garments are labeled, audited, repaired, resold, and regulated.
At the center of this shift is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which embeds DPPs as a legal requirement for textiles sold in the European Union. While full enforcement stretches into 2027 and beyond, 2026 is the decisive year in which brands must surface product-level data at scale—because the systems needed to comply cannot be retrofitted later.
From voluntary disclosure to mandatory records
Historically, fashion transparency was selective. Brands disclosed what supported marketing narratives or satisfied narrow legal obligations. DPPs replace that model with standardized, machine-readable product records tied to individual SKUs.
Each garment will increasingly carry a unique digital identifier—typically via QR code or NFC—linking to a live data record that includes materials, origin, care instructions, and end-of-life guidance. The regulation specifies what information must exist, not merely what can be communicated.
Where consumers will notice first
Care labels
The most immediate consumer-facing change is the care label. Static symbols give way to dynamic digital access. Instructions can evolve after purchase—reflecting updated repair options or revised recycling guidance—without reprinting labels.
Resale platforms
Secondhand markets are accelerating adoption. Persistent product identifiers allow listings to pull verified data directly from brands, reducing mislabeling and dispute risk. Once garments circulate beyond first ownership, missing data becomes friction.
Repair services
Repair has lagged but stands to benefit significantly. Access to construction and material data lowers uncertainty, enabling more confident and economical repairs.
Why 2026 is the inflection point
Inside companies, DPPs are being treated less as marketing features and more as operational systems. That framing explains the quiet rollout: data must withstand regulatory audits, resale verification, and third-party comparison—not just consumer storytelling.
What about the United States?
There is no federal U.S. mandate requiring apparel DPPs. But the U.S. market is not insulated.
Many American brands sell into the EU and are building passport systems for compliance. Once established, these systems rarely remain geographically isolated. Shared factories, SKUs, and labeling strategies mean U.S. consumers will increasingly encounter the same QR codes by default.
Pressure also comes indirectly. Trade enforcement—most notably under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act—already requires deep supply-chain documentation. While not consumer-facing, it demands the same underlying data discipline. Resale authentication, returns management, and fraud prevention further reinforce the business case.
