Textile DPP: A Guide for Apparel Exporters

Textiles and apparel are at the top of ESPR's priority product groups — and for one of Türkiye's strongest export sectors, that is a direct agenda item. This guide summarises how textile exporters can prepare for the Digital Product Passport.

Why are textiles a priority?

The sector's environmental impact is high while its recycling rate is low. Fast fashion, short-lived products and mixed fibre compositions make recovery difficult. ESPR aims to change this picture with transparency and circularity data.

Typical data in a textile passport

• Fibre composition: material percentages (e.g. 60% cotton, 40% recycled polyester).
• Origin and production stages: locations of spinning, knitting/weaving, dyeing and garment-making — i.e. supply-chain traceability.
• Chemical declarations: restricted-substance-list (RSL) compliance, hazardous-substance notifications.
• Care and repair: washing instructions, repair/reuse recommendations.
• Recycling: end-of-life separation and recovery information.

Choosing a carrier

Textiles use two common approaches: a QR code printed on a woven label, or a washable NFC tag. NFC is read by a phone tap without a camera but costs more; most manufacturers start with QR.

Practical preparation

1. Build your product tree: list each model's fibre composition and suppliers.
2. Collect recycled-content and chemical declarations from your suppliers.
3. Move your data into a standard structure (not hand-kept Excel, but a verifiable system).
4. Pilot the QR-linked passport with one collection.

To progress step by step, our SME preparation guide and data-collection checklist will help.

Summary

For textile exporters the DPP is near and concrete. The manufacturer who prepares early experiences the EU buyer's compliance demand not as an obstacle but as an order guarantee.

Frequently asked questions