Which Other Countries Are Implementing Digital Product Passports? From China and UN's Global Push, Digital Product Passports Go Global

Digital product passports (DPPs): digital records containing a product’s origin, materials, and lifecycle, emerging as game-changers in the pursuit of fashion transparency and sustainable brand accountability.

In Europe, DPPs are a core pillar of the EU’s digitalisation agenda. They aim to improve traceability and enable consumers to make informed, circular choices. But momentum is building far beyond EU borders: more regions outside the EU are building efforts around a DPP system. As global supply chains tighten, China and the United Nations are accelerating efforts to bring DPPs into the global mainstream.

This marks a crucial shift: from regional regulation to a unified global movement towards traceability, ethical sourcing, and sustainability data transparency.

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From a European Innovation to Global Inspiration

The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation is set to make DPPs mandatory for many product categories, including fashion by 2027. These passports serve as a product’s digital twin, storing everything from material origin and environmental impact to repair records and compliance documentation.

Through simple QR codes or NFC chips, brands can offer information to customs officials, regulators, retailers, and consumers. The impact? Greater brand accountability and consumer empowerment.

However, for DPPs to be truly effective, their standards must extend globally. That’s where China and the UN come in.

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China’s Ambitious Digital Product Passport System

As the world’s largest manufacturer, China is building its own DPP framework, with an eye on global interoperability. In April 2025, the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) introduced a roadmap for a national DPP system, aiming to align with global requirements while maintaining local standards.

China’s model includes three layers: a national registry, industry-specific registries, and enterprise-level systems. High-priority sectors? Textiles and lithium-ion batteries: two industries where sustainability is in the spotlight.

China has already launched a battery passport pilot, assigning unique digital IDs to track raw materials, carbon emissions, and recycling. Textiles may follow next, offering consumers insight into the full lifecycle of garments, from cotton fields to sewing lines.

Even more promising, Chinese experts are advocating for mutual recognition between their system and the EU’s. This would streamline trade and reduce compliance costs while advancing aligned sustainability goals.

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UN-Led Action: Towards a Global DPP Standard

On the global stage, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have teamed up to launch a standardized DPP framework.

This global initiative brings together stakeholders from every continent to ensure DPPs are interoperable across borders. Since 2019, UNECE has piloted blockchain-based traceability tools in fashion, setting the stage for this expansion.

Rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach, the UN aims for harmonization, supporting national systems like the EU’s and China’s while offering a common foundation for all.

Their 2025 roadmap prioritizes key sectors (fashion, batteries, electronics) and plans to publish draft global standards by the end of the year. According to early surveys, 89% of global stakeholders believe governments should adopt unified DPP standards. This strong support reflects a growing consensus: digital transparency is no longer optional, it’s essential.

Further National Efforts

As regulations tighten in the EU, other countries, such as Turkey and Vietnam, are also starting to study regulations and plan initiatives on DPP. 

Additional details are confidential from CIRPASS-2 and may be shared at a later moment. 

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Why This Matters for Brands and Consumers

So what does all this mean for you and the brands you trust?

For consumers, DPPs offer a new level of confidence. Imagine scanning a QR code in a store and instantly learning where a t-shirt was made, its carbon footprint, or whether it supports fair wages. It’s a powerful tool to combat greenwashing and demand real accountability.

For value-driven brands, digital product passports offer a new edge in a competitive market. Ethical sourcing, circular materials, and verified carbon data can now be clearly communicated to buyers right at the point of sale. Brands that lead in transparency will gain trust, loyalty, and even unlock new business models like resale and repair linked directly to the product ID.

We’re already seeing this shift. Brands like Dondup, Tod’s, and Moncler are embedding digital IDs into garments: from QR codes to NFC chips, giving consumers access to origin details, care instructions, and authentication tools. These are foundational steps toward full Digital Product Passport integration.

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A Shared Mission for a Transparent Future

The rise of digital product passports from Europe’s regulatory leadership to China’s data-driven pilots and the UN’s global framework: signals a powerful, hopeful future for fashion transparency and digitalisation.

This is not just a regulatory trend. It’s a collective shift. Governments are aligning. Brands are innovating. Consumers are demanding clarity.

And that’s where we all come in.

By embracing DPPs, we’re building a new culture of trust, data, and digital experiences. It’s a world where every product tells its story and every stakeholder plays a role in shaping a more transparent economy.

Join forward-thinking brands and stay ahead with Renoon’s latest Digital Product Passport updates.