To mark the launch of the Circular Product Data Protocol (CPDP), EON, fashion’s leading Digital ID platform, hosted a webinar to explain what the protocol is, why it was developed and how it brings value to the entire fashion ecosystem.
EON led the development of the Protocol in partnership with leaders from across fashion, technology, policy and academia. In the webinar, they were joined by panelists from YOOX-NET-A-PORTER, The Renewal Workshop and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to discuss how the Circular Product Data Protocol can unite the industry through a single common language, to support the transition to new business models like resale.
Watch the webinar below or read our key takeaways:
Key Takeaways
Recyclers and sorters need a common way to identify and process items
Nicole Bassett, Co-Founder of the Renewal Workshop, noted that “Systems are currently not built for circularity. We receive boxes of unknown things, where the sorting process is manual, and workers have to look at the item to determine its characteristics and assess if it can be repurposed.”
The use of the Protocol and uptake of Digital ID can “shorten processing time, reduce human error and make their processes more efficient.”
Data held in the Digital ID is of critical importance to understand a product’s life cycle
For sorters at The Renewal Workshop, Bassett underlined that the Protocol has widened their perspective by underlining why different elements of data are important to different stakeholders. It has helped their company understand what works for them but also what works for all of their brand partners and why they need specific levels of product information. The Protocol data also helps retailers and brands gain insights into their product journey.
Naz Kazazoglu, Business Designer at YOOX NET-A-PORTER, highlighted that the data element is critical for communication, “The more companies are able to scan information, the more we can learn about the product journey. It also helps us to communicate the benefits of Digital ID externally as we gather more tangible information on the product’s life cycle.”
The Circular Product Data Protocol can help brands align with upcoming policy
Gerhard Heemsherk, Business Consultant for the UNECE noted the Protocol’s importance as the EU looks to roll out mandatory Digital Product Passports (DPP) for all fashion garments in 2023, and said that if DPPs are deployed to the textile value chain, all stakeholders would benefit immensely from the CPDP and Digital ID. He also noted that the Protocol can evolve in line with global policy developments led by the UN and European Union to help guide shoppers to better purchase decisions.
The Advisory Council will steer the evolution of the protocol to encourage connectivity within the industry
The Advisory Council will shape the future direction of the Protocol to ensure it is scalable and openly accessible to all. Connecting the diverse players in the industry and incorporating their voices will be essential to maximize impact and uptake. “We should listen, collaborate and align between different standards,” Heemsherk said. Annie Gullingsrud, Chief Strategy Officer at EON imparted some final thoughts on the evolution of the CPDP, “The work of the Protocol happened many years before 2018, where we sought to focus on the deeper elements like trims and material composition that are both critical to get right for the industry.” Gullingsrud commented that as the CPDP evolves to become the common language for tomorrow, “We need to consider what is going to be most impactful for recyclers and what is most feasible for brands.”