What is a digital product passport?
A Digital Product Passport is a permanent digital record that contains all relevant information about a product throughout its lifecycle. In Avelero, each passport:- Gets a unique Universal Product Identifier (UPID) that never changes
- Lives at a permanent URL like
passport.avelero.com/{upid} - Contains EU ESPR-compliant structured data in JSON-LD format
- Remains accessible even if the product is discontinued
- Can be customized with your brand’s visual identity
The UPID is a 16-24 character alphanumeric identifier that serves as the sole identifier in public URLs. Once assigned, it persists indefinitely to ensure QR codes remain resolvable.
Creating passports
You can create passports in multiple ways:Manual creation
Create a product
Navigate to the products catalog and add a new product with basic information like name, description, and category.
Add product variants
Define variants with specific attributes like size, color, SKU, and barcode. Each variant can have its own passport.
Complete passport data
Fill in materials, environmental metrics, and supply chain information for regulatory compliance.
Bulk import
Import multiple products and variants at once using Excel templates. The bulk import process:- Validates all data against your brand’s catalog (materials, operators, manufacturers)
- Maps columns to product attributes automatically
- Handles relationships between products and variants
- Provides detailed error reporting for any invalid data
Integration sync
Connect external systems like Shopify to automatically sync products:- Products sync automatically when connected to an integration
- Field mappings determine which external data populates which passport fields
- Changes in the external system can trigger updates in Avelero
- You maintain full control over what data is published
Passport lifecycle
Active passports
When a passport is first published, it becomes active:- The UPID is generated and remains permanent
- A version snapshot is created with all current product data
- The passport URL becomes publicly accessible
- QR codes can be generated for printing on product labels
Publishing updates
You can continue editing product data after publishing:- Changes are saved to the working layer but don’t affect the public passport immediately
- When you publish again, a new version is created
- The UPID stays the same, but the version number increments
- The public URL shows the latest published version
Orphaned passports
If you delete a product variant that has a published passport:- The passport becomes “orphaned” but remains accessible
- The UPID and version history are preserved
- QR codes continue to resolve to the last published version
- SKU and barcode information is cleared from the passport record
This design ensures that printed QR codes never lead to broken links, even if you discontinue a product.
Passport content structure
Each passport contains structured data organized into compliance sections:Product identifiers
- Universal Product Identifier (UPID)
- SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
- Barcode/EAN/GTIN
- Product name and description
- Category classification
Product attributes
- Physical specifications (weight, dimensions)
- Variant attributes (size, color, style)
- Manufacturer information
- Season and collection association
Materials composition
- Material breakdown with percentages
- Recyclability information
- Country of origin for each material
- Certifications with testing institute details
Environmental impact
- Carbon emissions (kg CO2e)
- Water usage (liters)
- Additional environmental metrics
Supply chain traceability
- Manufacturing steps in sequence
- Operator/facility information for each step
- Geographic location data
- Process step classifications
Publishing and versioning
Passports use an immutable versioning system:How versioning works
How versioning works
When you publish a passport, Avelero creates a permanent snapshot:
- All product data is serialized to JSON-LD format
- A content hash is generated for data integrity verification
- The version is timestamped and assigned a sequential version number
- The snapshot is stored independently of the working product data
Version history
Version history
Every time you publish changes, a new version is created:
- Version 1: Initial publication
- Version 2: Updated materials information
- Version 3: Added supply chain operators
Status management
Products have three publication states:Unpublished
Draft state. Product exists in your catalog but has no public passport yet. Work in progress.
Published
Passport is live and publicly accessible. QR codes resolve to the passport page.
Scheduled
Visual indicator only. Product is still unpublished but marked for future publication.
QR code generation
Once a passport is published, you can generate QR codes:- Bulk export QR codes for multiple variants at once
- Choose from multiple image formats (PNG, SVG, PDF)
- QR codes encode the full passport URL
- Codes remain valid indefinitely due to permanent UPIDs
QR codes can be printed on hang tags, labels, packaging, or marketing materials to give customers instant access to product information.
Custom domains
Brand owners can configure custom domains for passport URLs:- Use your own domain like
passport.yourbrand.cominstead ofpassport.avelero.com - DNS verification ensures you control the domain
- One custom domain per brand
- All passports automatically use the custom domain once verified
Compliance and standards
Avelero’s passport structure is designed for EU ESPR compliance:- JSON-LD format with standardized vocabularies
- Schema alignment with ecodesign requirements
- Structured data for regulatory submission
- Complete audit trail via version history