Textile Delegated Act Tracker: ESPR Textile Regulation Status and Timeline

Q: When will the textile DPP become mandatory?

The textile delegated act is expected to be adopted in 2025–2026, with a transition period of 18–24 months before the DPP becomes mandatory. Based on the current timeline, the Textile DPP is expected to be mandatory in 2027–2028.

Q: Does the textile DPP apply to all garments?

The scope of the textile delegated act will be defined when it is published. Based on the preparatory study, it is expected to cover most garments and apparel, with possible exemptions for very small businesses and products below a certain value threshold. Second-hand clothing may also be treated differently.

Q: Will the textile DPP require supply chain transparency?

Yes. The EU Commission's preparatory study indicates that the Textile DPP will require disclosure of manufacturing origin at each production stage. This means garment manufacturers will need to disclose where fibres were spun, where fabric was woven, where dyeing occurred, and where assembly took place.

Q: How does the textile DPP relate to the EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles?

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles (2022) is the policy framework that the textile delegated act implements. The DPP is the key instrument identified in the Strategy for enabling consumers and recyclers to access product sustainability information.

Q: Can I use the same DPP registry for textiles and batteries?

Yes, if the registry supports multiple product categories. A compliant DPP registry should be able to handle DPP data for any ESPR product category, with the specific data fields configured according to the applicable delegated act.

EXPECTED 2025–2026

Textiles are identified as a priority product category in the EU Commission's ESPR Working Plan 2022–2024. The textile delegated act will establish Digital Product Passport requirements for garments, apparel, and textile products placed on the EU market. This page tracks the current status of the textile delegated act, expected timeline, and what manufacturers should be doing now to prepare.

Truth Anchor: ESPR Article 5(1) empowers the European Commission to adopt delegated acts setting ecodesign requirements for specific product groups. Textiles are listed as a priority in the Commission's Working Plan published under ESPR Article 18. — EUR-Lex CELEX:32024R1781

Textile Delegated Act: Current Status

Milestone	Expected Date	Status
ESPR Working Plan identifies textiles as priority	2022	Complete
EU Commission preparatory study published	2023–2024	Complete
Stakeholder consultation period	2024–2025	In Progress
Draft delegated act published for consultation	Q2–Q3 2025	Expected
Delegated act adopted by European Commission	2025–2026	Expected
Transition period begins	2026	Expected
Textile DPP mandatory	2027–2028	Expected

What the Textile DPP Is Expected to Contain

Based on the EU Commission's preparatory study for the textile delegated act and the requirements of ESPR Annex III, the Textile DPP is expected to contain the following data categories: fibre composition (percentage of each fibre type), country of manufacture (for each production stage), carbon footprint (per garment, per kilogram of fibre), water consumption in production, use of hazardous chemicals (REACH substances of concern), recycled content percentage, repairability information (spare parts availability, repair instructions), and end-of-life instructions (recyclability, disassembly instructions).

Data Category	Expected Fields	Basis
Product identification	Unique product identifier, model/SKU, size	ESPR Annex III
Fibre composition	Percentage of each fibre type (cotton, polyester, etc.)	EU Textile Regulation 1007/2011
Manufacturing origin	Country of spinning, weaving, dyeing, assembly	ESPR preparatory study
Carbon footprint	CO2e per garment, per kg of fibre	ESPR Annex III
Hazardous substances	REACH substances of concern used in production	ESPR Annex III
Recycled content	Percentage recycled fibre, certification reference	ESPR Annex III
Repairability	Repair instructions, spare parts availability	ESPR preparatory study
End-of-life	Recyclability, disassembly instructions	ESPR Annex III

Impact on South Asian and African Textile Exporters

The textile delegated act will have significant implications for textile exporters from Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Morocco, and South Africa — countries that collectively supply a large proportion of EU textile imports. Non-EU manufacturers will need to collect and disclose supply chain data that many currently do not track, including carbon footprint per production stage, water consumption, and chemical use. The data collection infrastructure required for Textile DPP compliance will need to be built now — waiting until the delegated act is published will not leave sufficient time to implement compliant systems before the mandatory date.

What Textile Manufacturers Should Do Now

While the textile delegated act is not yet published, manufacturers can take several preparatory steps. First, map your supply chain to identify all production stages and their locations — this data will be required for the DPP. Second, begin collecting carbon footprint data for your production processes — this requires either direct measurement or use of industry-standard emission factors. Third, audit your chemical use against the REACH substances of concern list — any substances on this list will need to be disclosed in the DPP. Fourth, obtain a GS1 Company Prefix and assign GTINs to your products — these will be the foundation of your DPP identifiers. Fifth, register with a DPP registry service so that when the delegated act is published, you can rapidly deploy compliant DPPs.

Textile Delegated Act: Current Status and Timeline

The ESPR delegated act for textiles is one of the highest-priority acts in the EU Commission's ESPR work programme. The EU Commission's preparatory study for the textile delegated act was published in 2023 and identified textiles as a priority product group based on their significant environmental impact — the EU textile sector generates approximately 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste per year. The delegated act is expected to enter the formal legislative process in 2025, with a target publication date of 2026 and a compliance deadline for manufacturers of 2027–2028. The preparatory study recommended mandatory DPP requirements for all textile products placed on the EU market, with the DPP containing fibre composition, chemical substance disclosure, carbon footprint, recycled content, and end-of-life instructions.

EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles: Policy Context

The ESPR textile delegated act is being developed in the context of the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles (2022), which sets out the EU's vision for a textile sector that is sustainable, circular, and competitive by 2030. The strategy identifies four priority areas: sustainable and circular textile products by design, high-performing textile waste management, a thriving and innovative EU textile sector, and a global level playing field. The ESPR delegated act is the primary legislative instrument for implementing the product design requirements of the strategy. The strategy also calls for extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in all EU member states by 2025, which will create a financial incentive for manufacturers to design products that are easier to collect and recycle at end of life.

Textile DPP: Interaction with the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme

The EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD, EU 2018/851) requires member states to establish EPR schemes for textiles by 1 January 2025. These EPR schemes require brand owners and importers to register with the national EPR scheme in each EU member state where they place textile products on the market and to pay fees based on the volume and environmental performance of their products. The ESPR textile DPP will serve as the data source for EPR fee modulation — products with higher recycled content, lower carbon footprint, and better recyclability will attract lower EPR fees. Brand owners should model the EPR fee implications of their current product portfolio and identify opportunities to reduce fees through product redesign aligned with ESPR requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions: Textile Delegated Act and ESPR

When will the textile DPP become mandatory?

Does the textile DPP apply to all garments?

Will the textile DPP require supply chain transparency?

How does the textile DPP relate to the EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles?

Can I use the same DPP registry for textiles and batteries?

Register Your Digital Product Passport

The EU DPP Registry goes live on 19 July 2026. Register now at Africa's first ESPR-compliant DPP registry.

EU Textile Strategy and ESPR

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles (published in March 2022) sets out the Commission's vision for making the EU textile industry more sustainable and circular by 2030. The strategy identifies ESPR as the primary legislative tool for achieving this vision, with delegated acts for textiles expected to address: minimum durability and repairability requirements; minimum recycled content requirements; restrictions on the use of hazardous substances; mandatory DPP data disclosure; and extended producer responsibility (EPR) for textile waste. The textile delegated act is one of the most commercially significant under ESPR, given the size and global reach of the EU textile market.

The preparatory study for the ESPR delegated act on textiles was launched in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2024–2025. The delegated act itself is expected to be adopted in 2025–2026, with a compliance date approximately 18–24 months after adoption. This means that textile manufacturers should plan for compliance by 2027–2028. The delegated act is expected to cover a wide range of textile products, including clothing, household textiles (bedding, towels, curtains), and technical textiles (used in construction, automotive, and medical applications).

Key DPP Data Requirements for Textiles

The DPP for textiles is expected to include: the product's fibre composition (percentage of each fibre type); the percentage of recycled content (recycled polyester, recycled cotton, recycled wool); information on the country of origin of the fibres and the manufacturing location; information on substances of concern (particularly PFAS used in water-repellent finishes, azo dyes, and formaldehyde in wrinkle-resistant finishes); the product's durability score; care instructions; and instructions for end-of-life disposal or recycling. The DPP will enable consumers to make informed choices about the sustainability of the textiles they purchase and will provide recyclers with the information they need to process end-of-life textiles efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions

The ESPR delegated act for textiles is expected to be adopted in 2025–2026, with a compliance date approximately 18–24 months after adoption. Textile manufacturers should plan for compliance by 2027–2028. The exact timeline will be confirmed when the delegated act is published in the Official Journal.

Yes. The ESPR delegated act for textiles applies to all textile products placed on the EU market, regardless of the brand's market positioning. Fast fashion brands that sell large volumes of low-cost, short-lived garments may face particular challenges in meeting the durability requirements and the DPP data disclosure requirements.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) used in water-repellent textile finishes (such as DWR — durable water repellency — finishes) are expected to be restricted or required to be disclosed in the DPP. The Commission is also developing a universal PFAS restriction under REACH that will affect textile manufacturers independently of ESPR.

The EU Ecolabel for textiles (EU 2014/350) sets voluntary environmental performance criteria for textiles. ESPR will set mandatory minimum requirements. Textile manufacturers who hold the EU Ecolabel will be well-positioned for ESPR compliance, as the Ecolabel criteria already address many of the issues that ESPR will regulate.

Yes. The DPP data carrier must be affixed to the textile product in a durable location. For garments, this is typically a woven or printed label sewn into the garment. The QR code must also appear on the product packaging. The data carrier must remain accessible throughout the product's lifecycle, including after the garment has been washed multiple times.