GARCIA MAKES FASHION HISTORY USING A DIGITAL ID FOR EVERY GARMENT

By Prachi Khatri

The fashion and manufacturing industries have long been lagging in significant actions towards sustainability. However, the European Union (EU) is taking a big step forward with the launch of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) to promote transparency and circular fashion.

Gracia, a Dutch jeanswear brand, is changing the way people view sustainability by being accountable. The company has launched Digital Product Passport (DPP) in a mission to create sustainable fashion and implement the idea of openness to its customers.

DPP, just like its travel-friendly namesake, will have all the comprehensive data of a product's end-to-end lifecycle, material sourcing, and extraction. Instead of an actual passport booklet, it will accompany all products as a QR code, NFC chip, or RFID tag.

Source: Garcia’s Website

According to the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), the global consumption of fossil fuels is expected to double over the next 40 years. We anticipate a 70% increase in waste production annually by 2050. The current take-make-dispose strategy by manufacturers will only worsen this situation, as single-use products are difficult to repair, reuse, or recycle.

DPPs are anticipated to make it easier for consumers to access sustainability data by scanning the QR code and having the product information at their fingertips. DPPs will also play a crucial role in increasing the recyclability across the value chain, and people will have access to carbon footprints, sourcing, and manufacturing before buying a product. It will enhance innovations in the fashion business and new social compliance strategies to promote a circular economy.

Garcia's digital product passport is all set to make an appearance in its spring/summer 2025 collection. The incorporation of QR codes in Gracia’s every item care label will offer the clarification that consumers crave and the accountability the industry needs. With every scan, customers will have access to how the item was created, what materials were used, its origin, the manufacturing process and the hands that helped create it.

Not only does the launch of DPP in Gracia's products make it a fashion-forward move, but it also keeps the company ahead of the curve. Presenting its customers a digital window with all the information, Gracia is building trust and helping customers make informed choices where fashion is not just worn but also understood.

Source: Garcia’s Website

As per a recent study, 70% of consumers consider sustainability in making their purchases. Consumers will no longer be in the dark and can make conscious fashion choices in just one scan with DPP.

The rise of greenwashing has left people searching for the truth. The European Union mandate to make digital product passports compulsory for the textile industry by 2026/2027 raises the bar for sustainable and circular textiles. DPP can tell stories from the traceable supply chain to detail information about a garment, which the tags never could.  

For example, a Garcia denim jacket might show how its cotton was sourced or how the buttons are nickel-free for less environmental impact, not just as a marketing tactic but as verified data stored securely.

Garcia is no stranger to progressive action. The brand has steadily woven ethics into its business model over the past decade. From signing the Denim Deal—an agreement among Dutch brands to increase the use of post-consumer recycled cotton—to enforcing a comprehensive code of conduct among suppliers, Garcia has consistently chosen purpose over convenience.

“We want our customers to feel proud of what they wear—not just because it looks good, but because it is good; this passport is a tool for change.” said an executive of the company in a press release of DPP.

Other brands like Zalando and H&M have also begun piloting similar solutions, but not at a scale like Gracia’s, with full rollout through its collection. All thanks to such brands, customers will no longer hear the vague buzzwords like “green” and “ecofriendly” but will be able to demand proof. Companies can no longer hide secrets, as garments will have traceable histories.

Garcia’s Digital Product Passport is proving that transparency isn’t a luxury—it’s a responsibility.