AEPC and Green Story Launch India’s First Live Digital Product Passports at Bharat Tex 2026
Pilot enables 25 MSME garment exporters to showcase EU-compliant Digital Product Passports ahead of the European Union’s new transparency framework.
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), in collaboration with sustainability intelligence platform Green Story, has introduced India’s first live Digital Product Passports (DPPs) at Bharat Tex 2026, enabling 25 MSME garment exporters to demonstrate EU-compliant product transparency on the exhibition floor.
The initiative comes just days before the European Union’s Central Digital Product Passport Registry is scheduled to go live on July 19, supporting the implementation of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
Visitors to participating exhibitors can scan QR codes displayed at the stalls to access verified product information, including carbon footprint, material composition and supply chain details. The digital passports are designed to help manufacturers meet the growing sustainability and traceability requirements expected by European buyers.
The pilot programme reflects the increasing importance of digital transparency in global apparel trade. While the recently concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to improve market access, industry stakeholders believe compliance with sustainability and traceability standards will become equally critical for exporters seeking to expand in European markets.
Traditionally, creating Digital Product Passports has required significant investment in consultants, data collection and sustainability reporting. Under the pilot, the participating MSMEs generated product-level DPPs within weeks using Green Story’s AI-enabled platform, reducing the complexity and cost of implementation.
The platform creates EU-compliant Digital Product Passports using verified secondary Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data, providing manufacturers with environmental footprint information and material origin details. Companies can later enhance these passports by incorporating primary facility-level data as their sustainability reporting capabilities mature.
Commenting on the initiative, Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC, said:
“The global apparel trade is entering a new era where market access will increasingly be supported by sustainability, transparency and digital traceability. As the proposed India–European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement is expected to create new opportunities for Indian apparel exporters, it is equally important for the industry to be prepared for evolving EU sustainability and traceability requirements, including the Digital Product Passport framework. AEPC is committed to preparing Indian apparel exporters, particularly MSMEs, to meet these emerging requirements with confidence. Our collaboration with Green Story on the Digital Product Passport pilot is a significant step towards building future-ready capabilities, strengthening India’s competitiveness and reinforcing our position as a trusted and responsible global sourcing destination.”
Akhil Sivanandan, CEO of Green Story, said the collaboration demonstrates how technology can simplify sustainability compliance for manufacturers.
“The breakthrough here isn’t just our platform technology—it’s the speed and ease of adoption. Moving a manufacturer from zero data infrastructure to a live, EU-ready product passport in a few weeks is a massive shift. Seeing it function in real-time on a busy trade show floor is exactly the frictionless outcome we aimed to achieve with AEPC.”
The initiative is expected to help Indian exporters strengthen their readiness for evolving global sustainability regulations while improving competitiveness in international apparel markets through enhanced product transparency and digital traceability.
