Digital product passport for the textile industry: ensuring transparency, circularity, and cyber resilience

The advancement of digital technologies offers opportunities to enhance transparency and security across industrial supply chains, particularly in sectors critical for sustainability. Objectives: This study examines the implementation of a Digital Product Passport (DPP) in the textile and fashion industry to improve transparency, traceability, circularity, and cybersecurity compliance. The goal is to secure lifecycle data from raw material sourcing to recycling, supporting sustainability and alignment with the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Prior Work: Building on our research on SME Integration to Industry 4.0 – Regional Innovation Platform, which emphasized promoting SMEs’ adoption of digital services, document digitization, and integration into digital value chains, previous studies in the textile sector have highlighted a gap between brand-level reporting and product-level traceability. The DPP framework leverages EU initiatives such as CIRPASS-2 and GS1 standards to ensure interoperability, secure data exchange, and enhanced visibility of product lifecycle information. Approach: A mixed-method approach was applied, including expert interviews, field surveys, and IT architecture analysis, integrating geolocation and production data. The DPP platform employs a decentralized, interoperable architecture with blockchain for data immutability, role-based access, PLM/PIM integration, and QR/NFC “Garment-to-Twin” interfaces. Key data encompass material composition, environmental performance, product origin, and circularity instructions. Results: Findings indicate that brand transparency is improving, but product-level traceability remains limited. Integration with the EU Cybersecurity Certification Framework (EUCCF) ensures secure handling of production and location data, supporting trusted information exchange and regulatory compliance. Implications: This research guides policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in deploying secure digital tools in global textile supply chains, demonstrating how DPPs advance circular economy objectives and cyber-resilience. Value: The study presents an original framework connecting digital product passports, territorial traceability, and cybersecurity compliance, offering a scalable model for improving accountability, transparency, and secure data governance in the European textile industry.