Real-life cases, data encryption, and testimonials using RFID and NFC technology
Real-world examples of RFID and NFC technology
1. Decathlon – Sports clothing 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 the rapid and massive scanning of products, facilitating the reading of digital passports at points of sale or recycling.
- Ideal technological base for incorporating environmental and materials information.
Result:
- 90% reduction in inventory time.
- Preparation for future integrations with DPP and compliance with ESPR.
2. Siemens Healthineers – Medical equipment with NFC tags
Technology: NFC QR
Location: Europe and USA
Application:
- Medical imaging devices (such as ultrasound or MRI scanners) have integrated NFC chips that store:
or Maintenance history
or 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:
- It allows recording 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 items include unique NFC chips that enable:
or Check authenticity
or Access product history
or Transfer of ownership between clients
Relationship with the DPP:
- Although it focuses 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 has an RFID tag that allows:
or Tracking from factory to point of sale
or Verification of origin
or 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: Hybrid RFID QR
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 basis to implement a circular passport, where IKEA can offer repair, buyback or smart recycling services.
Data Encryption and Privacy Protection: Real-World Cases Applied to DPP
The use of technologies such as blockchain and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) is not just theoretical: there are already projects, platforms and companies that are applying it in real 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 are they doing?
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 answers.
Practical example:
- An automotive component manufacturer can prove that its supplier uses plastic with >30% recycled content, without revealing the supplier's name or polymer details.
- This is achieved using cryptographic proofs that guarantee the response is authentic, without needing to show confidential 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 are they doing?
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: it 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 (DPP mandatory in 2026).
- Data can be shared with regulatory bodies or recyclers without disclosing the entire commercial life cycle of the product.
CASE 3: Minespider – Traceability of critical raw materials
Industry: Electronics, automotive, mining
Technology used: Permissioned public blockchain smart contracts
Location: Germany
What are they doing?
Minespider allows companies to digitally register the origin data of raw materials such as tin, cobalt, tungsten, and gold. This is essential for demonstrating compliance with conflict mineral legislation (such as EU Regulation 2017/821).
Practical example:
- A cobalt supplier in Congo issues a digital certificate that accompanies it throughout the entire chain: smelting, manufacturing, integration into batteries, to the end consumer.
- Environmental data, human rights data, and audit certificates can be added… with selective visibility by actor type (regulator, client, NGO).
CASE 4: Zama – Homomorphic cipher for industrial use
Industry: Technological infrastructure, companies with sensitive data
Technology used: Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE)
Location: France
What are they doing?
Zama develops technologies that allow encrypted data to be processed without decryption. This means that a company can perform analyses or calculations on sensitive data (for example, carbon footprint of a manufacturing process) without revealing the original data or compromising its privacy.
Applicability to DPP:
- Ideal for industries with proprietary formulas, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and composite materials.
- It allows for 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 are they doing?
Within the framework of the CIRPASS project, Bosch is participating in DPP pilot projects applied to electronic components, where:
- A DPP is constructed that includes data on repair, recyclability, and emissions.
- 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 an accelerator of DPP if the right technology is used.
These real-world examples demonstrate that encryption, blockchain, and ZKP are already being implemented 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 under construction. Various European and global companies are participating in pilot projects or real-world 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
Key results:
- Functional demonstrators in key sectors
- Tools to ensure data interoperability
- Intellectual property protection models using encryption
Testimonial (Fraunhofer IZM):
“The digital passport is not only viable, 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 – Complete battery traceability
Sector: Electric vehicle batteries
Location: Sweden
Technology used: Everledger platform blockchain DPP
Objective: To implement traceability from raw materials to final battery, 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 industry 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: To ensure complete supply chain visibility to comply with the ESPR and facilitate textile passports.
Application:
- Information about fibers (origin, type, certification)
- Working conditions in supplier factories
- Environmental data per garment
Results:
- Improved traceability of 80% of their 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. That 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 guarantee the durability, repairability, and recyclability of medical imaging equipment (MRI, CT, etc.)
Application:
- Digital team history
- Maintenance and repair guides
- Information on materials for recycling
Results:
- 20% reduction in maintenance costs
- Higher 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 ourselves with our customers’ values in public health.”
Real benefits observed in the pilots
Benefit
- Emissions reduction
- Improved brand reputation
- Early fulfillment
- Operational 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 DPP to communicate sustainability transparently.
- Pilot companies are reducing regulatory risks by adopting the DPP before it becomes mandatory.
- Visibility allows for reduced 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.
