The visibility revolution

IN INDUSTRIES where visibility can mean the difference between safety and danger, it’s time to extend that principle to the garments we wear and work in every day, looking at how they are made, sourced, and disposed of. Just as PPE protects workers onsite, transparency in the production and lifecycle of workwear can protect the people who make it, protect the environment, our economies, and our reputations.

What’s evident from the way brands have innovated over the last few years is that sustainability is no longer a niche concern, there’s a growing demand from regulators, customers, and increasingly, the workers themselves. This shift is being accelerated by incoming legislation like the European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the subsequent introduction of digital product passports (DPPs). These changes will redefine what responsible workwear manufacturing and procurement looks like, making transparency not just preferable, but essential.

What is transparency in workwear?

Transparency in workwear refers to the clear, traceable visibility of every stage in a garment’s journey - from raw materials to finished product, and from its useful life to its end-of-life processing. This includes knowing where the fabric was made, how the item was manufactured, the working conditions of the people involved, the carbon and water footprint, and how the garment can be responsibly disposed of or reused.

High-visibility clothing provides a fitting metaphor: if we accept that seeing a person clearly can protect them from harm, shouldn’t we apply the same logic to the products that protect them? Transparent supply chains are not about perfection—they’re about visibility, accountability, and informed improvement.

Understanding the ESPR and Digital Product Passports

The ESPR represents a major shift in how the EU will regulate product sustainability. Set to replace the existing Ecodesign Directive, it will expand the focus from energy-related products to nearly all physical goods sold in the EU—including textiles. One of its core features is the requirement for digital product passports.

DPPs are essentially digital records that travel with a product throughout its lifecycle. They contain detailed, standardised data on a garment’s materials, origin, certifications, environmental impact, care instructions, and more. For the first time, information that was previously unavailable, will become accessible to everyone and at every point in the value chain, from manufacturers, to recyclers, to the wearer.

Our own journey at Leo Workwear of implementing DPPs through Green Story has been eye-opening. These digital records have not only helped us map the true footprint of our high-visibility garments but also highlighted opportunities to make educated sustainable design improvements. So DPP’s will not only help the wearer, but it can also help brands, like Leo Workwear, to substantiate their sustainable claims; it’s no longer enough to say a product is “sustainable or environmentally responsible”, we must be able to show how, where, and why.

The Power of Lifecycle Assessments (LCAs)

A lifecycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific evaluation of the environmental impact of a product throughout its life, assessing their global warming potential, primary energy demand and blue water consumption and providing the background data for digital product passports.

In the workwear sector, LCAs help answer key questions: Which materials consume the most water? Which processes contribute most to carbon emissions? By understanding these metrics, buyers and sellers alike can make better-informed decisions.

Through our collaboration with Green Story, conducting LCAs over the last few years has led to real results. We’ve been able to redesign certain products with lower-impact materials, reduce packaging waste, and provide clients with concrete data about the carbon and water savings their purchases represent. These aren’t just marketing metrics - they're powerful tools that can help businesses plan ahead, reduce risk, and stay competitive in a changing world.

A paradigm shift in purchasing

As transparency becomes the norm, the way we buy workwear is poised for transformation. Procurement professionals, health and safety officers, and corporate sustainability teams are beginning to prioritise traceability alongside durability and compliance.

With DPPs and LCAs in hand, purchasing decisions can be based not only on price and performance but also on environmental and social impact. Clients increasingly expect this level of accountability from their suppliers, not just as a value-added service, but now as a baseline requirement.

This trend will likely increase as younger generations enter the workforce and regulatory pressures mount. The demand for credible, transparent data is rising across public and private sectors alike. Those who can offer this data—clearly and consistently—will be better positioned to win and retain contracts.

Manufacturing reimagined

This new level of transparency requires significant change from manufacturers. First and foremost, it demands better data. From factory energy usage to fibre sourcing, producers will need to invest in systems that track, validate, and share this information. Cleaner processes and longer-lasting designs will no longer be “nice to have”—they’ll be expected.

There are real challenges here, particularly when it comes to gathering consistent data across global supply chains. Cooperation, education, and alignment across suppliers will be critical. But these challenges are also opportunities—to innovate, to lead, and to develop new business models that serve both people and the planet.

For example, as transparency increases, we may see more manufacturers exploring repair services, garment-as-a-service models, or leasing programs. These approaches align better with circular economy principles and can extend the useful life of garments significantly.

However, one of the biggest hurdles lies in end-of-life services. Workwear often contains specialised components or coatings for protection and compliance, which complicate recycling or repair and reuse solutions. Investment is urgently needed in technologies and infrastructure capable of disassembling, recycling, or regenerating these items at scale, without compromising safety standards. Until that infrastructure is in place, circularity at scale will remain a challenge, but it is one we must prepare to tackle head-on.

Benefits of transparency

The benefits of a transparent approach to workwear production and procurement are broad and compelling, 

• Trust and credibility: Transparency builds confidence with clients, regulators, and workers. It demonstrates that safety isn’t just about the garments themselves, it’s embedded in how they’re made. On the Leo Workwear stand at the recent Health and Safety Event, our digital product passport area was emblazoned with the words “Transparency is the currency of Trust”.
• Better products: The insights gathered through LCAs and DPPs drive continuous improvement in design and manufacturing, leading to more durable, functional, and sustainable garments.
• Reduced environmental impact: Clear data allows us to identify hotspots of waste, emissions, or inefficiency, and fix them.
• Competitive advantage: As legislation tightens and buyer expectations evolve, transparent businesses will stand out in a crowded market. Compliance becomes a springboard, not a ceiling.

Challenges and complexities

This shift, however, won’t be easy. There are significant hurdles to overcome.

• Digital Readiness: Not all manufacturers have the technology or systems in place to collect and share the necessary data. Investments in digital infrastructure and training will be crucial.
• Data Standardisation: For DPPs to work effectively, we need shared standards and formats. This requires coordination across countries, sectors, and supply chains.
• Supplier Engagement: Many suppliers deeper into the supply chain (tier-2 and tier-3) may not yet be equipped, or incentivised, to provide the transparency required. Building those relationships will take time and commitment.
• Avoiding Greenwashing: As sustainability becomes a selling point, there is a risk of exaggerated or misleading claims. Transparency must be backed by verification, certification, and honest communication to avoid undermining trust.

Despite these challenges, the direction of travel is clear. Regulation, reputation, and responsibility are aligning, and the workwear sector is a responsibility to respond.

Conclusion: The visibility revolution

The push for transparency in workwear is gaining momentum, and with good reason. From new legislation like the ESPR to innovations in digital product passports and lifecycle assessments, the industry is being asked to look deeper and share more. This shift brings challenges, especially around data, collaboration, and infrastructure—but it also opens the door to better products, stronger relationships, and more informed decisions.

As manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers, we all have a role to play in making transparency the standard rather than the exception. It won't happen overnight, and it won't be perfect, but every step toward clearer, more accountable supply chains is a step toward a more sustainable and responsible future for workwear.

Nick Bale is head of marketing and business technology at Leo Workwear. For more information, visit www.leoworkwear.com