The regulation changing the rules of the game: the ESPR
At the heart of this change is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, known by its English acronym, ESPR, which has been in force since July 2024. This regulation significantly broadens the traditional concept of ecodesign, which until now has mainly applied to energy-related products, extending it to sectors such as textiles, where no binding European framework of this kind had previously existed.
The ESPR does not take effect all at once. Instead, it is implemented through specific legislative acts for each product category, which will be published progressively. For textiles, the first specific ecodesign requirements — relating to durability, recycled content and environmental footprint — are expected between 2026 and 2027. One obligation that already applies directly under the regulation is the ban on large companies destroying unsold clothing, footwear and textile accessories, in effect since July 2026; small and medium-sized enterprises will have a longer transition period.
The Digital Product Passport: verifiable traceability
Linked to the ESPR is the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a digital record that will accompany each garment and can be accessed, for example, via a QR code or barcode. This record will contain structured information on the product’s composition, origin, manufacturing process and durability, as well as the options available for repair or recycling at the end of its useful life.
The purpose of this passport is to make traceability verifiable, rather than merely a matter of claims. A statement such as “made with a high percentage of recycled cotton” will no longer be just a marketing phrase: it will be supported by structured, accessible and, in principle, auditable data. In the textile sector, the passport will be introduced gradually, initially requiring basic information, with the level of detail increasing over time.
The other front: how sustainability can be communicated
Alongside the requirements governing the product itself, a second strand of regulation sets out how businesses may communicate their environmental credentials. The Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, already adopted and applicable from September 2026, expressly prohibits generic, unsubstantiated environmental claims — terms such as “eco”, “green” or “sustainable” used without certification or specific supporting data — as well as sustainability labels created without a recognised verification scheme.
This means that textile businesses will need to review their marketing language carefully: any claim about a garment’s sustainability must be supported by verifiable information rather than general assertions.
What a textile SME can do to prepare
Although many of these obligations initially target larger businesses, SMEs in the sector — whether manufacturers, workshops or suppliers to larger brands — will be indirectly affected long before the rules apply to them directly. Their customers will begin requesting the information they need to create their own digital product passports and meet their own obligations.
It therefore makes sense to start organising the information likely to be needed: the exact composition of the materials used, the origin of raw materials, production processes, existing certifications, and data on the durability or recyclability of the finished product. Having this information in a structured format, even before disclosure through a digital product passport becomes mandatory, will put businesses in a much stronger position once these requirements are fully defined.
The textile sector is moving towards a model in which sustainability and traceability are no longer optional added benefits, but fundamental requirements of the European market. Businesses that start organising their internal information on materials, processes and suppliers now will not only reduce the effort needed to adapt once the regulatory requirements are fully defined, but will also be better prepared to meet growing market demands for environmental transparency.
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