How Long Do Fashion Brands Have Left to Prepare for Digital Product Passports?
By The Chain – Digital Product Passport Solutions for Sustainable Fashion
The clock is ticking for fashion brands across Europe—and beyond. With the EU’s new Digital Product Passport (DPP) legislation taking shape under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), there’s no more time for “wait and see.” The first hard deadlines are set, and failing to prepare could mean financial penalties, lost market access, and reputational damage.
As a tech company at the forefront of DPP implementation, The Chain is here to break down exactly how long you have left, what it will take, and what’s at stake.
Key Deadlines: What You Need to Know
The DPP initiative is being phased in by product category, and fashion/textiles are among the first in line. Here's the current roadmap:
July 2024: ESPR entered into force.
January 2026: The EU will publish the delegated act for textiles, setting specific DPP requirements.
~July 2027: DPPs become mandatory for textile and fashion products (allowing an 18-month grace period post-delegated act).
2030: DPPs required for all relevant product categories, including fashion, electronics, furniture, and more.
What this means: If you're a fashion brand selling in the EU, you’ll need compliant DPPs embedded into your garments and accessible via QR code (or similar tech) by mid-2027—at the latest.
⏱ So… How Long Does It Take to Get Ready?
While 2027 may seem a long way off, its not: implementing DPPs is not an overnight task. Based on our work with leading fashion clients, here’s what typical timelines look like:
PhaseTimeframe Roadmapping & Planning = 1–2 months
Supply Chain Data Audit = 2–4 months
Tech Integration & PIM = 3–6 months
Pilot Testing1–2 months=
Full Rollout = 6–12 months
✅ Total lead time: 12–18 months (minimum)
Add delays in supplier responses, data complexity, or internal capacity, and you’re easily looking at a 24-month journey.
⏰ That means: Brands should begin serious implementation efforts no later than Q1 2026. For brands that want to pilot in 2025 and scale in 2026, the best time to start is now.
⚠️ What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?
The EU isn’t treating this as a suggestion—it’s regulation. Under the ESPR, Member States are required to enforce penalties that are:
Effective
Proportionate
Dissuasive
Potential consequences of non-compliance include:
💸 Monetary fines (amounts will vary by country, but expect them to be significant)
🚫 Product bans (non-compliant products could be barred from entering or staying in the EU market)
📣 Public disclosure (name-and-shame measures that could damage brand reputation)
🔁 Mandatory recalls or removal of products already in circulation
❌ Disqualification from public procurement contracts in the EU
Still thinking it's a low-risk regulation? nope… As with REACH and GDPR, early adopters will be rewarded—and late movers punished.
How The Chain Helps
At The Chain, we’ve built an end-to-end Digital Product Passport platform tailored for fashion and textile brands. We help you:
Map your products and supply chains
Automate DPP generation across SKUs and colourways
Integrate QR with production
Securely manage data for compliance and customer engagement
All affordable!!!
And crucially, we help you start small and scale smart—with rapid onboarding and expert guidance.
Final Stitch: The Time to Start is Now
Mid-2027 may feel distant, but for digital transformation projects across fashion supply chains, it’s already tomorrow. Whether you're a global label or a sustainable SME, getting ahead on DPPs now means staying in the game later.
The good news? You're not alone.
📩 Book a call with The Chain today and let’s get you DPP-ready—on time, on budget, and with peace of mind.
