The brands still operating on self-reported supplier declarations, static PDF certificates, and manually assembled audit trails are becoming exposed to risks that have become increasingly difficult to manage and impossible to ignore.

The era of “claiming” sustainability is ending; the era of proving it is beginning. With the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) on the horizon, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is no longer a “future project”; it is a necessary compliance requirement.

EU brands must align with China’s DPP strategy to avoid customs delays, reduce carbon costs through primary data, and ensure global interoperability for circular business models.