On 15–18 December 2025, the Capacity-Building Workshops on Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and Textile Traceability were hosted by the Responsible Business Helpdesk (RBH) Pakistan with support from German development cooperation (GIZ Pakistan) in Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Dr Fahim Chowdhury, CEO at Technovative Solutions and Chairperson at DigiProdPass Ltd and Syed Shahadat Hossain, Environmental Analyst at Technovative Solutions and DigiProdPass Ltd, led the workshops under the implementation framework of “Gesellschaft für Organisation, Planung und Ausbildung” (GOPA Worldwide Consultants GMBH), with active participation from textile industry stakeholders, academia, and public institutions.
Technovative Solutions Ltd. led the programme, having practical experience at the intersection of regulation, standards, and digital implementation. TVS’s work spans traceability systems, DPP data models, interoperability frameworks, and circular economy applications across multiple sectors.
This capability enabled TVS to translate complex global concepts into solutions that are realistic and implementable within the local context, which aligned closely with the programme’s objective of moving from theory to practice.
The four-day programme brought together representatives from Pakistan’s textile value chain, including professionals from manufacturing and export-oriented organisations, the National Textile University (NTU), Faisalabad, and the National Compliance Centre (NCC), Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan. The sessions focused on strengthening practical readiness for emerging Digital Product Passport and traceability requirements that are increasingly shaping access to global and European markets.
Purpose of the Workshops
Pakistan’s textile sector is a cornerstone of the nation’s economy and a critical exporter to European markets. As EU sustainability legislation accelerates, particularly through the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the introduction of Digital Product Passports across priority product groups, exporters face increasing pressure to demonstrate product-level transparency, traceability, and circularity.
From the outset, Technovative Solutions’ objective was clear: to build both foundational understanding and applied capacity on DPPs and traceability that reflects the realities of Pakistan’s textile ecosystem while aligning with emerging EU regulatory frameworks.
The programme was structured as a progressive learning journey:
- Workshop 1 (15–16 December 2025): Focused on conceptual clarity, regulatory context, and the strategic relevance of DPPs for textiles.
- Workshop 2 (17–18 December 2025): Translated these concepts into practical traceability architectures, standards, data models, and digital implementation approaches.
RBH Pakistan, GOPA Worldwide Consultants, and GIZ Pakistan played a critical steering role, ensuring the programme remained policy-relevant, neutral, and focused on genuine capacity building rather than awareness alone.
Participants and Ecosystem Representation
The workshops brought together a highly relevant cross-section of Pakistan’s textile ecosystem. Participants included senior professionals from garment manufacturing and export-oriented associations, representatives from academia and applied research institutions such as the National Textile University (NTU), and professionals from public bodies, including the National Compliance Centre (NCC), Pakistan.
While participants brought strong sectoral and operational experience, levels of exposure to advanced digital traceability systems, interoperability standards, and EU regulatory instruments such as Digital Product Passports varied significantly. This diversity created space for productive dialogue and highlighted the need for structured, step-by-step capacity building.
Core Themes Addressed During the Workshops
Across the four days, Technovative Solutions focused on a set of core messages designed to shift thinking from reporting to implementation. These included positioning Digital Product Passports as regulatory and strategic enablers rather than simple reporting tools, and emphasising traceability as the backbone of effective DPP implementation, covering the full lifecycle from raw materials to finished products.
Additional themes included the importance of data quality, standardisation, and governance, a practical understanding of DPP attributes, sustainability parameters, and circularity requirements, and the role of global standards such as GS1, data spaces, and decentralised technologies. Particular emphasis was placed on helping participants understand how to transition from fragmented data silos towards interoperable digital ecosystems.
The sessions combined structured presentations with group discussions and hands-on exercises to reinforce applied understanding. The highest levels of engagement were observed during sessions on DPP attributes, sustainability and circularity requirements, value chain mapping, and data requirement exercises. Participants also showed strong interest in discussions on traceability technologies, including DNA, isotope, and claim-based approaches for cotton fibre and finished garments.
Sessions covering data space architectures, decentralised identifiers, verifiable credentials, and blockchain-enabled DPP models also generated significant discussion. This engagement highlighted a strong demand for clarity around what data is required, where it should be generated, and how it can be trusted and exchanged across systems.
Common Gaps and Challenges Identified
Across exercises and discussions, several recurring challenges became apparent. These included a lack of structured data models and standardised DPP attributes, fragmented digital systems across the textile value chain, and limited understanding of interoperability and governance frameworks.
There was also continued reliance on manual or document-based compliance processes, alongside uncertainty around data ownership, cost allocation, and responsibility for data generation and sharing. These findings reinforced that DPP implementation is not only a technical challenge, but also organisational and governance-related.
The Role of Standards, Data Governance, and Interoperability
From Technovative Solutions’ perspective, standards, data governance, and interoperability are foundational to any scalable and trusted DPP system. Without them, cross-border data exchange becomes unreliable, trust in sustainability claims is weakened, and compliance costs increase due to duplication and fragmentation.
Throughout the programme, emphasis was placed on the fact that frameworks such as GS1 standards, common semantic models, and governed data spaces are prerequisites rather than optional components of credible DPP implementation.
From Awareness to Implementation Maturity
While earlier capacity-building initiatives in Pakistan primarily focused on conceptual awareness and policy orientation, the workshops represented a clear progression. The programme deepened engagement with technical architecture, interoperability, and data governance, introduced hands-on exercises grounded in real supply chain scenarios, and positioned DPPs within a broader global digital ecosystem context.
Rather than a standalone intervention, the workshops reflected a maturation of ongoing efforts to prepare Pakistan’s textile sector for data-driven sustainability compliance.
Role of Institutions, Academia, and Public Bodies in DPP Implementation
Institutions and academia can play a critical enabling role when it comes to DPP implementation. This includes developing localised curricula and training programmes on DPPs and traceability, supporting pilot projects and applied research, acting as neutral conveners for industry collaboration, and advising policymakers on standards adoption and regulatory alignment.
Public bodies can further support adoption by ensuring policy coherence, strengthening international engagement, and aligning DPP initiatives with trade and export competitiveness strategies, particularly in relation to European markets.
Looking Ahead
Based on the strong engagement and practical outcomes observed in Faisalabad, there is clear potential to replicate this workshop model in other textile hubs across Pakistan. There is also strong justification to extend similar capacity-building programmes to additional sectors such as leather, footwear, cotton fibre, and agri-based products. Future initiatives may also include advanced, sector-specific modules focused on implementation and pilot projects, supporting a smoother transition from capacity building to deployment.
