The Digital Product Passport increases the transparency of the product information and promotes the circular economy

The Digital Product Passport is a technological solution that collects information about the sustainability, raw materials, and safety of products. The digital product passport could include information about the various stages of the value chain, such as product use, maintenance, and recycling. This information could then be used by the manufacturers of raw materials, various materials and products as well as public authorities, for example. The digital product passport also helps consumers make more sustainable choices. Increased transparency will promote more sustainable production methods and speed up the transition to a circular economy. 

The European Commission has asked industries for solutions for developing the Digital Product Passport. Finnish Textile & Fashion and the Technology Industries of Finland tested the Digital Product Passport concept with batteries and textile products. The selected value chains acted as pilots for gathering input, and based on this, the concept was developed further to be applied to other industries as well. 

“The digital product passport has attracted a lot of interest in the textile industry. However, no concrete solution proposals have been available. So we wanted to be among the first to develop a solution that considers the needs of businesses,” says Advisor Katri Pylkkänen from Finnish Textile & Fashion. 

“The product passport will be an important tool for companies in the technology industry. It provides information about the product’s carbon footprint and sustainable operating methods and creates a market mechanism for sustainability. Introducing a product passport is a long process. Now we have to make sure that the Commission implements it smartly in order to produce benefits for companies from the beginning,” says  Jussi Mäkinen, EU Regulation Director at the Technology Industries of Finland. 

In implementing the Digital Product Passport and preparing the related legislation, it is vital to consider the perspective of Finnish companies and hear their needs. The product passport should be implemented in phases, so that the concept can be adopted and utilized by the various industries as quickly as possible despite its complexity. 

The Digital Product Passport is an initiative of the European Commission, which is part of the EU’s proposal for a regulation on the ecodesign for sustainable products. The work program for the proposed regulation is scheduled for the years 2022–2024. 

For more information, please contact: 

Katri Pylkkänen
Finnish Textile and Fashion
Advisor, products, materials, sustainability
+358 41 535 4379
katri.pylkkanen@stjm.fi

Jussi Mäkinen
Technology Industries of Finland
Director, EU Regulation
+358 40 900 3066
jussi.makinen@teknologiateollisuus.fi

Download the report:

Digital Product Passport: Concept (pdf)
Appendix (pdf)

Finnish Textile and Fashion

Textiles are part of our daily lives. Finnish Textile & Fashion is a labor market organization providing services and advocacy for textile, clothing and fashion companies in Finland. Our member companies produce clothes and apparel, decoration textiles, hospital textiles and non-woven fabrics, among others. We promote the textile and fashion industry’s growth, success and internationalization. www.stjm.fi/en/

Technology Industries of Finland

Technology Industries of Finland is the lobbying organization for technology industry companies, which promotes competitiveness and the operational preconditions for the technology industry, the largest and most important export sector in Finland. The main branches of Finnish technology industry are electronics and the electrotechnical industry, mechanical engineering, metals industry, consulting engineering and information technology. The technology industry is responsible for 50% of Finland’s exports and 65% of the country’s investments in research and development. Approximately 336,000 Finns work for the technology industry directly, while approximately 700,000 are indirectly employed by the technology sector. https://teknologiateollisuus.fi/en