Short answer

Integrate data management and lifecycle transparency into product design to leverage Digital Product Passports for circular economy objectives.

Field: Sustainability
Source: Journal of Industrial Ecology (2025)
Method: Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection, e3-Value Modeling
Evidence: Strong effect

Digital Product Passports (DPPs) create value ecosystems that enable the circular economy by facilitating transparent, inter-organizational data sharing across a product's lifecycle. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of Industrial Ecology. Using Systematic literature review, secondary data collection, e3-value modeling, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Integrate data management and lifecycle transparency into product design to leverage Digital Product Passports for circular economy objectives.

Study

SustainabilityNew This WeekStrong effect

Digital Product Passports Drive Circular Economy Value Through Inter-Organizational Data Sharing

Digital Product Passports (DPPs) create value ecosystems that enable the circular economy by facilitating transparent, inter-organizational data sharing across a product's lifecycle.

Journal of Industrial Ecology · 2025

Key Findings

01DPPs enhance transparency across product lifecycles.
02DPPs facilitate regulatory compliance.
03DPPs support sustainable practices through detailed lifecycle data.
04Clear data-sharing guidelines are essential for DPP effectiveness.
05DPPs play a multifaceted role in advancing the circular economy.

Application

Design takeaway

Integrate data management and lifecycle transparency into product design to leverage Digital Product Passports for circular economy objectives.

How to apply

When designing products intended for circularity, map out the key stakeholders and the data required at each lifecycle stage to inform the design of a Digital Product Passport system.

Project actions

01Consider how your product's lifecycle data can be captured and shared.
02Identify the stakeholders who would benefit from or contribute to a product's data.
03Research existing digital product passport initiatives in relevant industries.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can the value ecosystem of Digital Product Passports be modeled to identify key actors, their needs, and interconnections for effective circular economy implementation?

MethodSystematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection, e3-Value Modeling

ProcedureResearchers conducted a systematic literature review, gathered data from existing DPP implementations, and analyzed gray literature to construct an e3-value model. This model visualizes the interactions and value flows between stakeholders like manufacturers, suppliers, consumers, end-of-life handlers, and regulators, using the EU Battery Regulation as a case study.

ContextDigital Product Passports, Circular Economy, Product Lifecycle Management, Industrial Ecology

Variables

IVImplementation of Digital Product Passports

DVValue creation in the circular economy (e.g., transparency, compliance, sustainability)

CVIndustry sector, regulatory environment, specific product type

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a structured model (e3-value) for analyzing complex value ecosystems.
+Uses a case study (battery passport) to illustrate practical application.
+Integrates insights from literature, industry data, and gray literature.

Limitations

It can be challenging to gather comprehensive data from all stakeholders in a real-world DPP ecosystem. The technology is also rapidly evolving, making long-term predictions difficult.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the findings depends on the thoroughness of the systematic literature review and the representativeness of the secondary data collected. Validity is strengthened by the use of a established modeling language (e3-value) and a real-world case study.

Think critically

To what extent can the current technological infrastructure support the widespread implementation of comprehensive Digital Product Passports across diverse industries?

Design Principles

"Design for Data Transparency and Lifecycle Management to enable Circularity."

Understanding the value ecosystem of DPPs is crucial for designers and businesses aiming to implement circular economy strategies. It highlights the interconnectedness of stakeholders and the critical role of data in enabling sustainable product management and resource efficiency.

What This Means for Your Design

Digital Product Passports are like a digital ID for products that helps everyone involved (makers, users, recyclers) share information about the product's life. This makes it easier to reuse, repair, and recycle things, which is good for the environment and the economy.

How to use in your project

1.Use the concept of value ecosystems to analyze the stakeholders and data flows for your design project.
2.Discuss how your design could incorporate or benefit from a Digital Product Passport.
3.Reference the importance of data sharing for circularity in your project's context.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The concept of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) offers a framework for understanding how inter-organizational data sharing can foster circular economy principles. By modeling the value ecosystem of DPPs, as explored in research by Gieß and Möller (2025), designers can identify key actors, their needs, and the critical data flows required to enhance product transparency, regulatory compliance, and sustainable practices throughout a product's lifecycle.

Source

Journal of Industrial Ecology

Exploring the value ecosystem of digital product passports

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about digital product passports drive circular economy value through inter-organizational data sharing?: Integrate data management and lifecycle transparency into product design to leverage Digital Product Passports for circular economy objectives. Evidence: Journal of Industrial Ecology (2025).
Why does "Digital Product Passports Drive Circular Economy Value Through Inter-Organizational Data Sharing" matter for design?: Understanding the value ecosystem of DPPs is crucial for designers and businesses aiming to implement circular economy strategies. It highlights the interconnectedness of stakeholders and the critical role of data in enabling sustainable product management and resource efficiency.
How can designers apply this research?: Integrate data management and lifecycle transparency into product design to leverage Digital Product Passports for circular economy objectives.
What were the main findings?: DPPs enhance transparency across product lifecycles.. DPPs facilitate regulatory compliance.. DPPs support sustainable practices through detailed lifecycle data.. Clear data-sharing guidelines are essential for DPP effectiveness.
What research method was used?: Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection, e3-Value Modeling.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of Industrial Ecology.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing products intended for circularity, map out the key stakeholders and the data required at each lifecycle stage to inform the design of a Digital Product Passport system.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings are based on existing literature and secondary data, and the practical implementation of DPPs is still evolving.