The overall response from our Sustainability Community survey in 2025 was clear, RAIN technology has huge potential to enable circularity, accelerated by Digital Product Passports (DPPs), but three conditions must be met for this to happen. We need to close technology and lifecycle performance gaps, align on standards and regulation, and build public trust in what RAIN technology brings to an efficient and effective circular economy.
The survey was shared within the RAIN Sustainability Community and drew responses from across the value chain, with strong participation from manufacturers and solution providers, and a geographic spread anchored in Europe and North America alongside a significant ‘global’ segment. The primary sustainability focus areas were:
- Apparel and textiles (including mattresses)
- Food
- Tyres and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
Most respondents rated their sustainability knowledge 4-5/5, and over 90% work in companies with established sustainability goals. When we asked which DPP topics matter most, three themes came out on top:
- Technical / implementation guidance
- Standardisation and engineering
- Legal and regulatory affairs
From a broader sustainability angle, the strongest interests were:
- Compliance and regulation (including DPP & E-waste)
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Recyclability and circular use cases
This shows that the business relevance of sustainability and circularity is clear, but practical guidance, stronger industry standards, credible evidence and policy alignment is necessary for public trust.
What now?
From the survey responses and follow-up conversations, four priorities emerged.
Close technology and lifecycle performance gaps
One of the clearest messages from the survey is that members want concrete examples to use and learn from. We will prioritize the development of the ‘circular use case catalogue’ that doesn’t just show RAIN technology can track a product but also enables waste reduction, circular flows with intelligent sorting and improved scope 3 emission reporting for carbon reduction. This will highlight the need of durable, lifecycle ready RAIN solutions.
Strengthening Our Influence on Policy, particularly in the EU
With the projections of 115 billion tags chips shipping annually by 2028, we must ensure our growth is aligned with sustainability policy. Members see regulation as both a driver and a potential blocker. Your call for stronger lobbying, especially in the EU, is heard. Strengthening our government affairs to proactively address WEEE/e-waste and packaging regulation, ensuring RAIN technology is appropriate position as a critical enabler, not a source of contradiction.
Establishing Recycling Standards by Design
How recyclable are RAIN tags really? This is a vital question that the industry needs to answer. RAIN technology has the opportunity to collaborate with regional recycling coalitions to demonstrate compatibility, support reuse opportunities and disposal strategies. Engineering RAIN data carriers for the product full lifespan, promoting secure recycling and incorporating recycled content.
Build public trust with evidence
The survey highlighted a strong need to strengthen public and stakeholder trust in RAIN technology’s role in sustainability. Partnering across the ecosystem, for example with GS1, national recycling initiatives and organisations, to publish sorting-for recycling use cases and independent findings. This is about being transparent and providing credible, consistent data (document through our RAIN Technology library).
Next steps on how you can be involved:
- Check the survey results summary: including the full executive summary, and identified action areas short term and long term
- Contribute a Use Case, Pilot or verifiable impact results: If you have RAIN enabled circularity use-cases or projects, let us know! Your story can be published into our RAIN Circularity Use Catalogue.
- Share Data to the Technology Library: Help us build a collect academic, pilot, LCA data, recyclability trials or DPP learnings for technology positioning and supported with proof points.
Get in Touch
To learn more about the RAIN Sustainability Community or to increase your participation, reach out to either Bethan or Femke at bethan.taylor@checkpt.com or femke.zijlstra@eu.averydennison.com Thank you to everyone who contributed to the survey. We are committed to work together to build a RAIN powered, circular future.