Digital Product Passport · RFID traceability
Digital Product Passport: start building your traceability now – don’t fall behind
The DPP will require reliable, item-level data on every product: what it is made of, where it has been and how it has been used. That data cannot be created overnight – it has to be collected along the whole lifecycle. ZCS Automation combines RFID hardware and the TRAK software for end-to-end, capillary traceability, from day one.
160M+
items tracked with ZCS RFID
30+
years in automation
2,300
installations worldwide
How to make every product traceable, end to end
Short answer: an end-to-end traceability system gives every item a unique digital identity and records every event of its life automatically. For textiles, uniforms, PPE and reusable assets, the most reliable setup combines four elements:
- A unique RFID identity for every item – each garment, uniform or asset carries its own RFID ID.
- Automated RFID machines at every step – gates, checkpoints, smart cabinets, lockers, dispensers and receivers that read items automatically, without manual scanning.
- Traceability software – such as ZCS TRAK, which turns each read into a complete, searchable item history.
- Integration – item-level data shared with ERP, PLM and Digital Product Passport platforms.
ZCS Automation, the automation division of the Italian company Zucchetti Centro Sistemi, designs and builds the RFID automation systems and the software that make this possible, with more than 160 million items already tracked by its RFID solutions.
Why you should get equipped now
Traceability takes time
Tagging items, installing reading points and adapting processes is a project, not a switch. Starting early means doing it right, without rushing.
Your data needs a history
Every month of RFID tracking builds the lifecycle data – uses, wash cycles, repairs – that a passport will have to show.
Stay ahead of competitors
Brands and customers will choose partners who can already share verified item-level data. Being ready first is an advantage.
What is the Digital Product Passport
A digital identity for every product
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a structured digital record that travels with a product throughout its life. Introduced by the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, Regulation (EU) 2024/1781), it gathers information on materials, origin, environmental footprint, repairability and end-of-life – accessible by scanning a data carrier such as a QR code, NFC chip or RFID tag.
For brands, manufacturers, rental and laundry operators, the DPP is more than a compliance task: it requires knowing, at item level, where every product is and what has happened to it. That is exactly what RFID traceability delivers.
Each delegated act will define the exact data points per product group. For textiles, the information expected in the passport includes:
Materials & composition
Fibre composition, weights and materials used, including recycled content.
Origin & supply chain
Where and by whom the product was made, with traceability across the supply chain.
Environmental footprint
Key indicators such as carbon footprint, water and energy use along the lifecycle.
Durability & repairability
Expected lifetime, care instructions, repairs and number of use and wash cycles.
Chemical compliance
Substances of concern and references to REACH and other applicable rules.
Reuse & end of life
How to reuse, resell, disassemble and recycle the item at the end of its life.
Don’t wait for the deadline
The sooner you start tracking, the more ready your passport will be
Let’s assess your flows and plan the RFID traceability system that will become the data foundation of your DPP – starting from the processes you already run.
ZCS RFID machines that build your DPP data layer
A passport is only as good as the data behind it. Our RFID automation machines identify every item, record every movement and wash cycle, and give you a reliable, item-level history ready to feed your Digital Product Passport – in industrial laundries, healthcare, hospitality, industry and logistics.
RFID automation for the DPP
From item to passport in four steps
Item-level RFID automation turns everyday operations into the verified lifecycle data a Digital Product Passport needs.
01
Identify
Every garment, uniform or asset carries a unique RFID-UHF tag (ISO 18000-6C, Class 1 Gen 2), which ZCS systems recognise automatically.
02
Capture
ZCS RFID gates, checkpoints, smart cabinets, lockers and dispensers read items automatically at every step of the flow – with UHF RFID, hundreds of tags at once, no line of sight needed.
03
Record
Each event – issue, return, wash, repair, disposal – is recorded by the TRAK software – what moved, where and when – building the full lifecycle history of every item.
04
Share
TRAK optimization algorithms turn traceability into data-driven decisions, while the ZCS Stargate middleware connects every machine to your ERP, PLM or DPP platform.
Ideal for
Industrial Laundry →
Item-level tracking of linen and uniforms across sorting, washing and delivery.
Healthcare →
Traceable management of medical textiles, scrubs and uniforms.
Hospitality, Resorts & Wellness →
Automated distribution of uniforms and personal garments for staff.
Dry Cleaning Services →
Garment tracking from reception to delivery.
Industry & Warehouse →
Tracking of PPE, tools, shared assets and logistics flows.
Environmental Services →
Tracked, end-to-end waste management.
TRAK: end-to-end RFID traceability, data-driven by design
Every step tracked. Every item accounted for.
TRAK is the RFID traceability and workflow management software developed by Zucchetti Centro Sistemi. It connects every reading point in your process and records each passage of each item – turning physical flows into reliable, item-level data, with zero manual registrations.
- Capillary, end-to-end tracking: gates, checkpoints, smart cabinets, dispensers, receivers and the mobile app (delivery, pickup, inventory) feed TRAK in real time, from first tagging to end of life.
- A complete history for every item: issues, returns, wash cycles, repairs, locations and disposal in a single record – the backbone of a Digital Product Passport.
- Data-driven potential: real-time dashboards on KPIs, stock and lost items, plus advanced algorithms for production and stock optimization.
- Multi-technology and open: UHF/HF RFID, barcode and QR code, Virtual Gate bundle creation, automatic orders and transport documents. The ZCS Stargate middleware links every machine to any ERP or WMS through a single integration point, and REST APIs open TRAK to third-party systems – in cloud or on-premise.
Digital Product Passport & RFID: frequently asked questions
A Digital Product Passport is a digital record linked to each product through a data carrier. Required by the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), it shares data on composition, origin, environmental impact, durability, repair and end of life. It becomes mandatory product group by product group: the delegated act for textiles and apparel is expected in 2027, with requirements applying after a transition period of around 18 months.
It means following every single item through its whole lifecycle – from tagging and first use to every movement, distribution, wash, repair and final disposal. RFID readers placed at each step capture these events automatically, and the TRAK software turns them into a complete, searchable history for each item.
Textiles and apparel are one of the priority product groups of the ESPR. The exact scope – and how professional textiles such as workwear, uniforms and linen will be covered – will be defined in the textiles delegated act. Operators who already track these items with RFID, like industrial laundries and rental companies, will have the item-level data needed to support brands and customers.
Yes. Item-level events recorded by TRAK – uses, wash cycles, repairs, locations and end of life – can be integrated with ERP, PLM or DPP platforms, turning daily operations into reliable passport data.
We design and build complete RFID traceability systems: automated reading points (dispensers, smart lockers, cabinets, receivers, gates and checkpoints) and TRAK, our traceability software in cloud and on-premise versions. Together they create an end-to-end, item-level data layer ready for your DPP.
From compliance to competitive advantage
Turn the Digital Product Passport into a data-driven advantage
Don’t wait for the deadline: let’s map your flows together and design the RFID system and TRAK setup that will give every item its digital identity.