#Guide for the DPP

CISUTAC publishes an Open Data Guide to accelerate the preparation of the Digital Product Passport

The report, prepared by RISE and GTS, identifies the essential data to boost the circularity of post-consumer textiles and proposes a practical approach for organizations to start organizing and standardizing their information.

Circularity in the textile sector is advancing at a pace increasingly conditioned by one decisive factor: the quality and availability of the dataTraceability, interoperability, and access to product information throughout the value chain will make the difference between last-minute regulatory compliance and a real transformation with industrial impact.

In this context, the European project CISUTAC, Which Texfor becomes a partner, has published the Open Data Guide, developed by the partners RISE and GTSwith a clear objective: helping the industry prepare for the future Digital Product Passport (DPP) in the framework of Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products (ESPR).

The Digital Product Passport: what it will require (in practice)

The DPP is presented as a mechanism to increase transparency and comparability through complete and standardized data For each product: origin, composition, environmental footprint and recommendations for its management at the end of its useful life.

For this to be operational, the data must be accessible through a unique identifier, be structured and machine-readableand turn out interoperable between systems. Simply put: it is not enough to "have information"; you have to be able to use it and share it with common criteria.

Main challenges: scattered data, manual processes and lack of harmonization

The guide clearly outlines a widespread reality in many organizations:

  • Manual management practices persist (frequently using spreadsheets) with low technological integration.
  • Companies with mature systems capable of tracking data throughout the entire supply chain are in the minority.
  • Often, statistical averages are used, focusing on the main material, without reflecting the full content of the product.
  • Terminology and categories are not aligned between companies, which complicates standardization.
  • The extraction of detailed data from the material, key to more advanced processes, remains limited.

17 data points to boost circularity and one critical element: the state of the product

One of the most valuable contributions of CISUTAC's work is the identification of 17 data points that can accelerate reuse, repair, and recycling. Among them, the condition of the product It stands out as a decisive parameter for determining the most suitable circular destination.

However, the guide highlights a significant gap: There is no unified international system to classify the condition of second-hand clothing. To move towards a standardized definition, CISUTAC proposes five levels of status, aligned with the waste hierarchy, which ranges from practically new items suitable for direct reuse to products in very poor condition or contaminated, with more limited recovery options.

Pilot validation: semi-automated classification with AI and RFID

The guide also draws on real-world experiences. In one of the project's pilot programs, Texaid leads a semi-automated sorting initiative combining artificial intelligence, near-infrared scanning, and RFID tagging to analyze how data can support sorting operations and improve efficiency.

The lesson is clear: When critical data is captured consistently and is accessible, operational decision-making is facilitated and recovery rates increase.The document also highlights the importance of data such as material composition —and, in certain cases, additional information on chemical composition— to move towards more precise processes.

Recommended first steps: common vocabulary, structure and data supports

The Open Data Guide proposes a practical approach to begin organizing data management:

  1. Common vocabulary and standardized formats to reduce friction and increase accuracy.
  2. Clear structure for data collection and use: what is collected, who uses it, roles and responsibilities.
  3. Choosing the data storage medium depending on the use case. The guide indicates that the QR codes have limitations for high-speed industrial sorting, while RFID (UHF Gen 2) It offers high potential as its adoption becomes more widespread. A hybrid model—QR for interaction and RFID for automation—appears to be an effective option if integrated from the design phase.

A checklist for taking action before 2027

Looking ahead to 2027, when the European Commission will specify requirements through delegated acts related to ESPR and DPP, the guide includes a practical checklist so that organizations can assess their starting point, prioritize improvements, and accelerate their readiness with realistic criteria.

Data as an industrial lever for circularity

Circularity requires infrastructure, technology, and collaboration. But above all, it requires data: relevant, accessible, and comparable. The CISUTAC Open Data Guide is presented as a useful tool so that companies can take concrete steps towards a more traceable, efficient model aligned with the new European regulatory framework.

As a member of CISUTAC, Texfor helps to promote practical tools and recommendations. that facilitate the sector's transition to data-driven circular models.