Real Cases, Data Encryption and Testimonials with RFID and NFC Technology
Real Cases with RFID and NFC Technology
1. Decathlon – Sportswear and equipment with RFID tags
Technology: UHF RFID
Location: Global (more than 1,600 stores)
Application:
- All Decathlon products have an integrated RFID tag.
- It is used for inventory management, in-store traceability, and automatic checkout detection.
Relationship with the DPP:
- RFID tags allow for rapid, mass scanning of products, making it easier to read the digital passport at points of sale or recycling.
- Ideal technological base for incorporating environmental and materials information.
Result:
- 90% reduction in inventory time.
- Preparation for future DPP integrations and ESPR compliance.
2. Siemens Healthineers – Medical devices with NFC tags
Technology: NFC QR
Location: Europe and USA
Application:
- Medical imaging devices (such as ultrasound or MRI) have built-in NFC chips that store:
o Maintenance history
o Technical instructions
or Certificates of compliance
Advantage:
- Technicians and operators scan with a mobile phone to access the equipment's “digital passport” in seconds.
Relationship with the DPP:
- Allows recording of events throughout the equipment’s useful life, facilitating remanufacturing or resale with traceability.
3. LVMH / Louis Vuitton – Authenticity and traceability in luxury with NFC
Technology: Cryptographic NFC (via Aura Blockchain Consortium)
Location: France / International
Application:
- Handbags, watches, and luxury goods include unique NFC chips that allow:
or Check authenticity
o Access product history
o Transfer of ownership between clients
Relationship with the DPP:
- Although focused on luxury, the system acts as a digital product passport, demonstrating origin, materials, and ownership.
Benefit:
- Prevent counterfeiting and strengthen the circular economy in high-end items (resale with digital certificate of origin).
4. Avery Dennison Ralph Lauren – RFID in fashion
Technology: UHF RFID
Location: USA, UK
Application:
- Each garment carries an RFID tag that allows:
o Tracking from the factory to the point of sale
o Verification of origin
o Quick scanning at checkout and warehouse
Collaboration with EVRYTHNG (now part of Digimarc) to integrate this technology with digital product identities, paving the way for a complete textile DPP.
5. IKEA – Circular traceability with RFID in furniture
Technology: RFID QR hybrid
Location: Europe
Pilot application:
- Identification of returned or rented furniture using integrated RFID tags.
- Facilitates automated scanning at return or recycling stations.
Relationship with the DPP:
- Technological foundation for implementing a circular passport, where IKEA can offer smart repair, buyback, or recycling services.
Data Encryption and Privacy Protection: Real-World Cases Applied to the DPP
The use of technologies like blockchain and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) is not just theoretical: there are already projects, platforms, and companies applying them in real-life industrial contexts to meet future DPP requirements and protect strategic information.
CASE 1: Circularise – “Smart Questioning” for the chemical and automotive sectors
Industry: Chemicals, plastics, automotive
Technology used: Blockchain Zero-Knowledge Proofs
Location: Netherlands
What do they do?
Circularise has developed a technology called Smart Questioning, which allows companies to share only validated answers to specific questions, without revealing the raw data behind those responses.
Practical example:
- An automotive component manufacturer can prove that its supplier uses plastic with >30% recycled content, without disclosing the supplier name or polymer details.
- This is achieved using cryptographic proofs that guarantee that the response is authentic, without the need to display sensitive data.
Result:
- They protect intellectual property.
- They comply with sustainability and traceability regulations.
- They gain points against OEMs that demand transparency without exposing trade secrets.
CASE 2: Everledger – Traceability of batteries and luxury products
Industry: Electric vehicle batteries, diamonds, wines, luxury goods
Technology used: Blockchain certified digital records
Location: United Kingdom / Global
What do they do?
Everledger creates a “digital passport” for high-value, high-risk products, where each item is associated with a unique, immutable record that certifies:
- Its origin
- Manufacturing processes
- Ownership history
- Compliance with regulations (e.g., recycled or conflict-free content)
Practical example:
- In lithium batteries: allows tracking from the mine to the electric car, including whether the materials were recycled, the country of origin, and the content of critical metals.
Advantage:
- They comply with the requirements of the European battery regulation (mandatory DPP in 2026).
- Data may be shared with regulatory agencies or recyclers without disclosing the full commercial cycle of the product.
CASE 3: Minespider – Traceability of critical raw materials
Industry: Electronics, automotive, mining
Technology used: Public permissioned blockchain smart contracts
Location: Germany
What do they do?
Minespider allows companies to digitally record the origin data of raw materials such as tin, cobalt, tungsten, and gold. This is essential for demonstrating compliance with conflict minerals legislation (such as EU Regulation 2017/821).
Practical example:
- A cobalt supplier in the Congo issues a digital certificate that accompanies it throughout the entire chain: smelting, manufacturing, integration into batteries, and finally the final consumer.
- Environmental, human rights, and audit certificate data can be added… with selective visibility by actor type (regulator, client, NGO).
CASE 4: Zama – Homomorphic encryption for industrial use
Industry: Technology infrastructure, companies with sensitive data
Technology used: Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE)
Location: France
What do they do?
Zama develops technologies that allow encrypted data to be processed without decrypting it. This means that a company can run analyses or calculations on sensitive data (e.g., carbon footprint by manufacturing process) without revealing the original data or compromising its privacy.
Applicability to the DPP:
- Ideal for industries with patented formulas, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and composite materials.
- Allows environmental impact certification without exposing the industrial recipe.
CASE 5: Bosch EU CIRPASS – DPP Pilot with Scalable Privacy
Industry: Electronics, mobility, industrial machinery
Technology used: Modular blockchain infrastructure decentralized identity
Location: Germany EU
What do they do?
Within the framework of the CIRPASS project, Bosch is participating in DPP pilots applied to electronic parts, where:
- A DPP is constructed that includes repair, recyclability, and emissions data.
- Access levels are defined according to role: maintenance technicians, users, auditors, recyclers, etc.
Importance:
- They are testing layered encryption mechanisms and interoperability modules between companies.
- The modular approach allows each company to control what it shares and with whom, thus protecting technical or trade secrets.
Conclusion
Privacy is not an obstacle, but rather an accelerator of DPP if the right technology is used.
These real-life cases demonstrate that the use of encryption, blockchain, and ZKPs is already being applied in real-world environments. Implementing them not only improves security but also opens up new opportunities:
- Sustainable certification without compromising secrets
- Ethical traceability of materials
- Legal compliance without bureaucracy
- Brand value based on technological trust
Testimonials and Real Cases: Pioneering DPP Companies
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is no longer just a regulatory proposal: it's a reality in the making. Several European and global companies are participating in pilot projects or actual implementations, anticipating legal requirements and leveraging strategic advantages.
CIRPASS PROJECT – European Pilot for the DPP
Led by: European Commission consortium of companies and institutes
Pilot sectors: Electronics, batteries, textiles
Duration: 2022–2024
Participantes: Bosch, Circularise, iPoint-systems, Fraunhofer, SGS, GS1 y más
Aim:
Develop a common infrastructure for the DPP, including:
- Interoperable data structure
- Access rules by profile (manufacturer, consumer, recycler)
- Recommendations for future legislation
Highlighted results:
- Functional demonstrators in key sectors
- Tools to ensure data interoperability
- Intellectual property protection models through encryption
Testimonial (Fraunhofer IZM):
“The digital passport is not only feasible, but desirable. Manufacturers need digital tools that help them demonstrate compliance and position themselves as responsible in the market.”
🔗 More information: https://cirpassproject.eu
Northvolt – Full battery traceability
Sector: Electric vehicle batteries
Location: Sweden
Technology used: Everledger Platform Blockchain DPP
Objective: Implement traceability from raw materials to final batteries, including recycled content, carbon footprint, and origin of critical materials.
Results:
- Certification of recycled content in batteries
- Improved compliance with the new Battery Regulation (2026)
- More transparent relationship with car manufacturers
Testimonio (Head of Sustainability, Northvolt):
“Blockchain-based traceability allows us not only to comply with future regulations, but also to build trust with our industrial partners.”
H&M TrusTrace – Digital Textile Passports
Sector: Fashion and textiles
Location: Global (Sweden, India, Bangladesh)
Technology used: TrusTrace platform for traceability and transparency
Objective: Ensure complete supply chain visibility to comply with the ESPR and facilitate textile passports.
Application:
- Information on fibers (origin, type, certification)
- Working conditions in supplier factories
- Environmental data per garment
Results:
- Improved traceability of 80% of its products
- Preparation for the Digital Product Passport for Textiles
- Access to new markets sensitive to environmental impact
Testimonio (Head of Production Sustainability):
"Now we know exactly what each garment contains and where it comes from. This allows us to communicate with integrity and build real trust."
Philips – Medical electronics with digital passports
Sector: Medical electronics, digital health
Location: Netherlands
Technology used: DPP PLM modular blockchain
Objective: To ensure the durability, repairability and recyclability of medical imaging equipment (MRI, CT, etc.)
Application:
- Digital history of the equipment
- Maintenance and repair guides
- Information on materials for recycling
Results:
- 20% reduction in maintenance costs
- Greater return of equipment at the end of its useful life (remanufacturing)
- Positioning as a sustainable brand in hospital tenders
Testimony:
“The DPP allows us to extend the lifespan of our devices and align with our customers' public health values.”
Real benefits observed in pilots
Benefit
- Emissions reduction
- Improved brand reputation
- Early fulfillment
- Operating savings
- Innovation in business models
Evidence
- Manufacturers like Northvolt and Philips are tracking their entire carbon footprint and optimizing processes.
- Brands like H&M use the DPP to communicate sustainability transparently.
- Pilot companies are reducing regulatory risks by adopting the DPP before it becomes mandatory.
- Visibility helps reduce costs in repair, maintenance and recycling.
- Opportunities are opening up for resale, leasing, products as a service, and remanufacturing.
Conclusion
The DPP is already being successfully implemented in key sectors. Companies leading its adoption are achieving not only compliance, but also competitive advantages, credibility, and operational efficiency.
