Shannon McGarry
Elevate your design and manufacturing processes with Autodesk Fusion
Learn how Autodesk Fusion supports the Digital Product Passports (DPP) initiative by offering tools for sustainable design. Features like the Makersite Add-On, generative design, and lifecycle assessment enable manufacturers to meet DPP standards.
As the European Union prepares to enforce Digital Product Passports (DPPs), companies face new expectations for transparency and environmental accountability in the lifecycle of consumer goods. By 2026, all textile products in the EU market will need a DPP. A Digital Product Passport is a record embedded with details about the product’s journey from sourcing materials to end-of-life management. As a result, this new regulation challenges traditional paradigms for companies and will ultimately necessitate newer, more sustainable design and production practices.
Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and sustainable product design
The EU’s DPP initiative, is a requlatory requirement, first introduced in 2024. It’s aimed at enhancing sustainability and transparency across product lifecycles. Part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, DPPs mandate that nearly all products sold within the EU feature a unique digital identifier.
The passport is meant to capture comprehensive information about each product’s origins, materials, environmental impact, and recommended disposal methods. This will effectively create a digital ledger for product lifecycles. With this information available via QR codes or digital tags, consumers can easily access details. This allows them to make informed, environmentally conscious decisions.
DPPs are expected to significantly impact sustainable design and production. By requiring documentation on material sources, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life disposal, DPPs challenge companies to adopt more responsible and circular practices. For manufacturers, DPPs present an opportunity to design products with durability, repairability, and recyclability in mind. Additionally, they promote sustainable material choices. Companies are incentivized to select low-impact resources to improve the environmental profiles of their products.
This push for transparency will require closer collaboration across supply chains as businesses strive to comply with the new documentation standards. By supporting open data principles, DPPs enable data sharing across industries. This ultimately leads to more accountable production processes and improved visibility for stakeholders and consumers alike.
Fusion for DPP-ready design
Autodesk Fusion offers a comprehensive platform for companies aligning with DPP requirements, complete with a suite of advanced tools and sustainability-focused features.
Notably, the Makersite Add-On integrates real-time sustainability data directly into the design environment. This provides companies the ability to assess the carbon footprint and cost implications of material choices. By converting CAD models into a detailed Bill of Materials (BOM), the add-on calculates environmental impacts and provides material replacement recommendations.
Generative design capabilities within Fusion further enhance sustainable manufacturing. The technology offers multiple design alternatives that reduce material use while maintaining structural integrity. For example, this feature supports lightweighting, a design strategy that cuts down on excess materials. Ultimately, lowering emissions and decreasing production costs. When coupled with life-cycle assessment (LCA) tools, generative design allows manufacturers to evaluate environmental impacts from all stages, optimizing every step along the way.
In addition, Fusion supports additive manufacturing processes that align with circular economy principles. It enables the creation of parts that are efficient in both material use and energy consumption. These capabilities facilitate compliance with DPP regulations and allow companies to develop robust, repairable, and recyclable products—qualities that the EU values in a circular economy framework.
An easy transition
As manufacturers prepare to integrate Digital Product Passports, Autodesk Fusion can make the transition a breeze. With features like the Makersite add-on and generative design, Fusion helps companies remain competitive and responsible in a progressive and ever-changing market landscape.