Circular economy group Reconomy has announced a partnership to bring data tech business Fabacus’s digital product passport (DPP) service to its textile extended producer responsibility (EPR) solution.
The aim of the new tie-up is to support producers with evolving regulations around transparency of product and materials used in the supply chain. Producers selling in the European Union (EU) will soon be required to integrate DPP into their operations under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) which came into effect in 2024.
DPPs are set to become mandatory across certain product categories, starting with batteries in February 2027 and textiles later that year.
The ESPR is a cornerstone of the EU’s strategy to promote a circular economy and enhance sustainability across the product value chain, particularly in sectors that are resource intensive an have significant potential for circularity, such as textiles.
DPPs will digitally record essential information about a product’s lifecycle including material composition, weights, volumes, place of manufacture, carbon data, maintenance, ownership, care instructions and documentation. This requirement will apply to any products sold within the EU, regardless of where they are manufactured.
Several retailers are already working with Fabacus to introduce DPP on product labels – they include Tesco F&F and Nobody’s Child, a sister company of the data tech business.
While detailed category-specific requirements are still being finalised, producers are encouraged to act now given the length and complexity of procurement processes. They are piloting solutions to assess data readiness and bridge gaps early.
The work with Fabacus will form part of Reconomy’s broader end-to-end textile EPR solution, which it launched in April 2024 to help producers understand and meet their global legislative requirements and the timescales of different EPR schemes. This comprehensive offering includes regulatory monitoring, consultancy, data management, environmental compliance, material returns and end-of-life treatment.
James Beard, head of voluntary compliance at Valpak, a Reconomy company, said the new arrangement will “help textile producers navigate these evolving regulations, get ahead of the curve and ensure they understand and are well placed to deal with their obligations”.
“Together with Fabacus, we look forward to working closely with our customers in this sector to implement DPP and help make them make better use of their materials, reduce waste and contribute to the circular economy,” he added.
Andrew Xeni, CEO & founder of Fabacus, and founder and chair of Nobody’s Child, commented: “This collaboration demonstrates how innovative technology and market-leading expertise can come together to drive meaningful change.
“We are delighted to be working alongside Reconomy to deliver this solution through our data service and support producers in making significant steps towards a new retail landscape of transparency, sustainability and compliance.”
Read more about Xeni and Fabacus in Green Retail World’s interview with him earlier this year
[image credit: Fabacus]
