What is a Digital Product Passport (DPP)?

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record linked to a physical product via a QR code or NFC on the care label, containing mandatory sustainability, material composition, supply chain, and compliance data required by EU Regulation 2024/1781 (ESPR). Each DPP carries a Unique Product Identifier (UPID) and links to the EU Central DPP Registry.

Who needs a Digital Product Passport?

Under ESPR Article 4, any economic operator that places a regulated product on the EU market must ensure a DPP exists — regardless of where the product is manufactured. For textiles this includes manufacturers, importers, distributors, and brands. Bangladesh's approximately 4,500 RMG export factories are directly affected because their products enter the EU market.

When is DPP mandatory for textile factories?

ESPR was adopted on 18 July 2024. The EU Central DPP Registry launches 19 July 2026. The Textile Delegated Act, which sets the precise data requirements, is expected late 2026 or early 2027. Enforcement for textiles is expected 2028–2029, giving factories an 18–24 month implementation window after the Delegated Act publishes.

Can a Bangladesh factory submit a DPP without the EU brand?

Yes. ESPR Article 2(32) defines a 'DPP Service Provider' that may create, host, and submit DPPs on behalf of the responsible economic operator. The factory retains data ownership. This allows a Bangladesh factory to be DPP-ready before its EU buyers complete their own systems.

What data must a textile DPP contain?

Per ESPR Article 7 plus the draft Textile Delegated Act, mandatory fields include: Unique Product Identifier (UPID), GTIN, Economic Operator ID (EOID), facility ID, product category, fibre composition (must total 100%), country of origin, carbon footprint (kgCO2eq), recyclability percentage, care instructions, end-of-life instructions, SVHC declaration per REACH Article 33, and chemicals used (CAS numbers).

What is an EOID and how do factories get one?

An Economic Operator Identifier (EOID) is a unique business identifier required for the EU DPP Registry. The European Commission has not yet finalised the EOID issuance system. Likely candidates include EU EORI numbers for established importers and a GS1-issued identifier (similar to GLN) for non-EU manufacturers. DPP Global registers EOIDs on behalf of factories once the system goes live.

Can a published DPP be edited later?

No. Under ESPR Article 9, published DPPs are immutable. Any change requires creating a new version with its own SHA-256 hash for tamper-proof audit. Both versions remain accessible for at least 10 years (ESPR data retention requirement).

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

ESPR Article 74 leaves penalties to Member States, but they must be 'effective, proportionate and dissuasive'. Customs may refuse entry of products without a valid DPP. Brands may de-source factories that cannot supply compliant DPPs. Practical risk: loss of EU buyer relationships, which represent over 60% of Bangladesh RMG exports.

How does DPP differ from the Higg Index or BSCI?

Higg Index (Sustainable Apparel Coalition) and BSCI (amfori) are voluntary buyer-side audit programs. DPP is a legally mandated, product-level public record. They are complementary: Higg/BSCI data feeds into DPP fields, but DPP adds legal force, traceability via QR, and EU-wide accessibility.

How long must DPP data be retained?

ESPR Article 12 requires DPP data to remain accessible for at least the expected lifetime of the product, with a minimum of 10 years from when the product was last placed on the market. DPP Global stores data in AWS Frankfurt EU region for compliance with both ESPR and GDPR data residency rules.

Does DPP comply with GDPR?

DPPs do not contain personal data of consumers or workers, so GDPR application is limited. However, factory user accounts on the platform are GDPR-protected. DPP Global maintains a Records of Processing Activities (RoPA), an appointed DPO, and 72-hour breach notification per GDPR Article 33.

What chemicals must be declared in a textile DPP?

Per REACH Article 33 referenced in ESPR, any Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) on the ECHA Candidate List present at >0.1% w/w must be declared by name and CAS number. The current ECHA list contains over 240 substances. DPP Global syncs the ECHA list weekly and flags any matches automatically.

What is the EU Central DPP Registry?

A European Commission-operated registry, launching 19 July 2026, that stores the unique identifiers and metadata of every DPP. It is the source-of-truth lookup for customs, market surveillance authorities, and recyclers. Each DPP must be registered there, even if data is hosted by a private DPP Service Provider.

Will DPP affect H&M, Zara, Inditex, or Uniqlo sourcing decisions?

Yes, materially. Major EU buyers including H&M Group, Inditex, C&A, and Bestseller have publicly committed to DPP readiness ahead of the 2028–2029 enforcement window. Factories that cannot provide DPP-ready data risk losing PO allocation. Several brands have stated DPP capability will be a sourcing prerequisite by 2027.

How much does DPP compliance cost a Bangladesh factory?

DPP Global pricing starts at $99/month (Starter, 500 DPPs). Professional tier at $499/month covers 5,000 DPPs with AI extraction, carbon calculator, and 24-language EU output. Compared to in-house implementation cost (estimated $50,000–$200,000 for ERP integration plus annual maintenance), the SaaS model reduces compliance cost by 80–95% for typical mid-sized factories.

Pricing — DPP Global

Pricing

Simple, Transparent Plans for
Every Factory Size

From small factories starting their EU compliance journey to large BGMEA factory groups — every plan includes AWS Frankfurt EU data storage, GDPR compliance, and 10-year retention. Cancel anytime.

Pricing

Transparent Investment.
Unlimited Compliance.

All plans include AWS Frankfurt EU data storage · GDPR · 10-year retention · Cancel anytime.

Starter

^$99

per month · up to 500 DPPs

For smaller factories beginning their EU compliance journey.

✦DPP creation & management

✦QR code generation (SVG + PNG)

✦EU Registry submission

✦Buyer portal access

✦Email support

—Carbon calculator

—AI data extractor

Most Requested

Professional

^$499

per month · up to 5,000 DPPs

For active exporters requiring the full compliance suite.

✦Everything in Starter

✦Carbon Calculator (ISO 14067)

✦Chemical / SVHC Checker (ECHA)

✦AI Data Extractor (Claude)

✦Advanced Analytics Dashboard

✦WhatsApp Bot (Bangla)

✦24 EU Official Languages

✦Priority Phone Support

Enterprise

Custom

unlimited DPPs · dedicated SLA

For large factory groups and BGMEA partnerships.

✦Everything in Professional

✦ERP / SAP Integration

✦Dedicated Account Director

✦99.9% Uptime SLA

✦ISO 27001 Security Report

✦White-Label Licensing

Simple, Transparent Plans forEvery Factory Size

Transparent Investment.Unlimited Compliance.

Simple, Transparent Plans for
Every Factory Size

Transparent Investment.
Unlimited Compliance.