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What Data Must Be Included in an EU Digital Product Passport?

Structured breakdown of required DPP data fields: unique product ID, material composition, carbon footprint, repairability score, recycling instructions, and more.

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DPPtex Research Team Published on May 29, 2026

Every manufacturer implementing a Digital Product Passport faces the same fundamental question: what data must actually go into it?

The answer depends on the product category (defined in sector-specific delegated acts), but the ESPR establishes a common data framework. This article provides a structured breakdown of the data categories, specific fields, and how they are organized for different stakeholders.

The Six Data Categories

DPP data is organized into six functional categories, each serving a different purpose and audience:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT                  │
├──────────┬──────────┬──────────┬──────────┬────────┬────────┤
│ Product  │ Material │ Environ- │ Circular-│ Supply │Regulat-│
│ Identity │ Comp.    │ mental   │ ity      │ Chain  │ ory    │
├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────┼────────┤
│ GTIN/ID  │ Fibers   │ CO₂ foot │ Repair   │ Origin │ CE     │
│ Brand    │ Recycled │ Water    │ Recycle  │ Tiers  │ Decl.  │
│ Model    │ Chemicals│ Energy   │ Spare    │ Cert.  │ Audit  │
│ Date     │ Hazards  │ Durab.   │ EoL      │ Logs   │ Permits│
└──────────┴──────────┴──────────┴──────────┴────────┴────────┘

Category 1: Product Identification

These fields establish the unique identity of the product and link the physical item to its digital twin:

Required FieldFormat / StandardExample
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)GS1 GTIN-1409506000134352
GS1 Digital Link URLISO/IEC 18975:2024https://id.brand.com/01/09506000134352
Brand nameText”EcoWear”
Product model / SKUText”EW-Organic-Tee-001”
Serial number (if serial-level)Alphanumeric”SN-2026-05-001”
Manufacturing dateISO 8601”2026-05-15”
Manufacturing locationCountry + facility ID”Bangladesh, Facility BD-042”
Batch / Lot numberGS1 Application Identifier (10)“LOT-2026-Q2”

Category 2: Material Composition

This category contains the physical and chemical makeup of the product — critical for recyclers, chemical compliance, and consumers:

Required FieldDetailExample
Primary material(s)Type and percentage”Organic cotton 95%, Elastane 5%“
Recycled content percentagePre- and post-consumer breakdown”100% recycled polyester (post-consumer)“
Hazardous substancesSVHC declarations per REACH”No SVHC above 0.1% threshold”
Chemical complianceCertifications applicable”OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Class I”
FSC/PEFC certification (wood)Chain of custody number”FSC-C123456”
Material originGeographic source of raw materials”Cotton: India (GOTS certified)”

[!IMPORTANT]

For textiles, Phase 1 (2027–2028) requires basic fiber composition and REACH compliance. Full chemical declarations and Tier 2+ material origin data are Phase 2 requirements (~2030).

Category 3: Environmental Performance

Lifecycle environmental data — the most technically challenging category to populate:

Data FieldMeasurement UnitVerification
Carbon footprint (cradle-to-gate)kg CO₂e per unitThird-party verified (ISO 14067)
Carbon footprint (full lifecycle)kg CO₂e per unitPhase 3 (~2033)
Water footprintm³ per unitISO 14046
Energy consumption (production)kWh per unitFacility records
Durability test resultsCycles / lifespanStandardized test method
Microplastic shedding ratemg per washEN test method (textiles only)

Category 4: Circularity Data

This category enables the product to circulate through repair, resale, and recycling channels:

Data FieldPurpose
Repairability scoreStandardized metric (1-10 or A-G scale, per delegated act)
Spare parts listPart numbers, availability period (minimum years guarantee)
Disassembly instructionsStep-by-step guide for repairers and recyclers
Recycling instructionsWhich materials can be recycled and how to separate them
End-of-life handlingWaste code, disposal method, take-back program details
Warranty informationDuration, coverage, claim process

Category 5: Supply Chain Data

Transparency into the production chain — increasingly important for due diligence compliance:

Data TierInformation Required
Tier 1 (Final assembly)Facility name, address, audit certifications, worker count
Tier 2 (Component/subassembly)Supplier name, country, applicable certifications
Tier 3 (Material processing)Yarn spinner, weaver, tanner, chemical processor
Tier 4 (Raw materials)Farm, mine, well, forest origin

[!WARNING] | Most brands currently only track Tier 1 suppliers. Mapping Tier 2-4 requires significant lead time — 12-18 months minimum for complex supply chains.

Category 6: Regulatory Compliance

Documentation and certifications required for market access:

DocumentFormat
CE Declaration of ConformityPDF or structured digital reference
Delegated act compliance statementStructured data field
Third-party test reportsReference to digital certificate
Product safety dataRelevant safety standards met
Market surveillance contactEU Authorised Representative details

Sample JSON-LD Data Structure

Here is a simplified example of how DPP data is structured in machine-readable JSON-LD format:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "gtin": "09506000134352",
  "name": "Organic Cotton T-Shirt",
  "identifier": "did:web:ecowear.com:product:EW-001",
  "hasGS1DigitalLink": "https://id.ecowear.com/01/09506000134352",
  "material": [
    {"name": "Organic cotton", "percentage": "95"},
    {"name": "Elastane", "percentage": "5"}
  ],
  "countryOfOrigin": "Bangladesh",
  "manufacturer": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "EcoWear Manufacturing Ltd",
    "location": "Dhaka, Bangladesh"
  },
  "sustainabilityRating": {
    "carbonFootprint": "2.4 kg CO2e",
    "recycledContent": "0%",
    "repairabilityScore": "7.5"
  },
  "disposalInstructions": "Recycle at textile collection point"
}

Phased Implementation

The data requirements are being introduced in phases to allow industry adaptation:

PhaseTimelineData Scope
Phase 12027–2028Product ID, basic material composition, REACH compliance, country of origin, basic certifications, CE declaration
Phase 2~2030Full LCA data (carbon, water), Tier 2-4 supply chain mapping, repairability scores, recycled content verification
Phase 3~2033Dynamic data (repair history, resale tracking, SoH for batteries), full circularity tracking

Role-Based Data Access

Not all DPP data is visible to all stakeholders. The framework requires role-based access controls:

StakeholderData Visibility
ConsumerBasic product info, material composition, care instructions, sustainability summary
RepairerDisassembly instructions, spare parts list, warranty status
RecyclerFull material composition, chemical content, disassembly instructions
RegulatorFull compliance documentation, audit trail, origin certification
Brand (data owner)Full data including business-sensitive information

The Digital Product Passport is fundamentally a data architecture challenge. Brands that invest early in building clean, structured, verifiable data pipelines will find compliance significantly easier than those attempting to retroactively collect data in 2028.

📚 Regulatory & Academic Bibliography

Tagged under:
#Data Fields#Data Requirements#Product Information#ESPR#Compliance