Recently, the European Commission introduced the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which includes a proposal for implementing digital product passports. Lovisa Westerlund seized the opportunity to make this topic the focus of her master’s thesis and shared her thoughts on the function and purpose of digital product passports. Lovisa states, “Digital product passports are comprehensive digital records that capture essential information about a product’s lifecycle, environmental impact, and sustainability attributes. They promote transparency, traceability, and informed decision-making throughout the product value chain. If we provide accessible and standardized information, product passports can facilitate the transition towards a circular economy.”
While the benefits of digital product passports extend across various industries, specific sectors may find it easier to embrace and implement this transformative concept. Lovisa highlights the importance of data collection for digital product passports, which is the main focus of her thesis. She emphasizes that the complexity of a product plays a significant role in determining the amount of DPP-related information a company possesses. Due to their numerous related regulations, complex products tend to collect more data. In contrast, sectors such as textiles, which have fewer related regulations, have yet to be required to provide extensive product data.
However, like any innovation, digital product passports face challenges that must be overcome for widespread adoption and success. Lovisa’s discussions with companies for her thesis shed light on these challenges. “During my research, I probed companies on this matter, and their response was unequivocal: safeguarding intellectual property rights and commercially sensitive information. This concerns companies, particularly due to the ongoing nature of the legislative proposal, which has not reached its finalization stage.”
We were curious to learn why Lovisa conducted her thesis at Knightec. She explains that she was particularly interested in writing her master’s thesis in the circular economy field and discovered Knightec offered an intriguing thesis opportunity in that area. During the annual career fair at KTH, Lovisa had the chance to meet representatives from Knightec, and she was impressed by their enthusiasm and how they spoke about Knightec’s sustainability vision. Inspired by this encounter, she decided to pursue her thesis at Knightec. When asked about her experience working on her master’s thesis with Knightec, Lovisa replied, “It has been inspiring, especially because Knightec is on an exciting sustainability journey with a clear vision. Contributing to that journey has been rewarding, helping Knightec expand its sustainability initiatives and support its customers.”
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