Digital product passports for cleaner production: Economic evidence from producers and consumers in the fashion industry

The shift towards sustainable production and consumption presents a critical global challenge, particularly in resource-intensive sectors such as textiles. This study explores the role of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) in enhancing transparency, promoting sustainable consumption, and supporting circular economy practices. Integrating multi-criteria analyses from industry experts with a consumer survey ( n = 415), the research examines producer priorities for circularity adoption and consumer perceptions of digital labelling, sustainability, and willingness to pay. The findings reveal that, while traditional factors such as aesthetics and price remain influential, consumers show strong interest in DPP-enabled transparency and a marked willingness to pay a premium for digitally labelled products. For producers, the DPP functions as a strategic instrument for traceability, lifecycle management, and regulatory compliance. Spanning both domains, the DPP addresses information asymmetries and fosters trust, underscoring its potential to align corporate sustainability strategies with consumer expectations. Offering empirical insights into adoption, perceived benefits, and behavioural effects, the study positions the DPP as a key enabler of informed, responsible, and sustainable fashion consumption. • Information on supply chain traceability is a determining factor. • Raw materials play a decisive role in fashion sustainability. • Sustainable practices do not strongly influence fashion purchases. • The DPP provides consumers with a sense of confidence. • Consumers value DPP and show higher willingness to pay.