The European Commission is preparing a delegated act under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation that will require digital product passports for textile apparel sold in the EU. The passports must disclose fiber composition, including recycled content percentages, repair instructions, and supply-chain identifiers — not impose a uniform minimum recycled-fiber quota across all garments.

According to the EU ESPR working plan and Joint Research Centre technical work published in 2026, the textiles delegated act is expected in early 2027, with mandatory DPP obligations likely phasing in around 2028 after an 18-month transition period. Commissioner officials have emphasized traceability and disclosure rather than a single recycled-content threshold such as 30 percent for every product category.

What the Passport Requires

Brands placing apparel on the EU market will need machine-readable records — typically accessed via QR codes — covering manufacturer details, country of origin for main materials, fiber composition, substances of concern, care instructions, and end-of-life guidance. Recycled content must be reported using established methodologies such as ISO 14021, with batch-level certification where applicable.

Large retailers including H&M Group and Inditex have expanded fiber-tracking pilots with vendors such as TextileGenesis and TrusTrace to prepare supplier data that regulators can audit.

Timeline and Scope

The EU adopted rules in February 2026 banning destruction of unsold textiles for large companies, with application beginning 19 July 2026. The fuller textile DPP delegated act remains under consultation; industry groups expect SME-adapted requirements and further clarity on footwear versus apparel scope.

Fashion confederations have asked for phased implementation so mid-size suppliers can standardize data formats without duplicative reporting to every retail customer.

Industry Implications

Mechanical cotton recycling still faces fiber-length limits; chemical recycling firms compete for feedstock. Disclosure rules push brands to verify claims rather than rely on marketing language alone. Marketplace operators Zalando and ASOS have told suppliers to prepare metadata fields ahead of 2027 collection planning.

NGOs including Fashion Revolution welcomed structured transparency after years of voluntary commitments with uneven follow-through. Investors in recycling technology firms monitor whether enforcement translates into sustained demand for verified recycled inputs.

What Comes Next

Member states will transpose penalties once the delegated act is adopted. Brands exporting to the EU from Asia and Turkey must appoint responsible economic operators and ensure tier-two spinning and finishing data can be substantiated. Credence Wire will update this story when the Commission publishes the final delegated act text.