Digital Cotton Passport

info

Please note that this content is under development and is not ready for implementation. This status message will be updated as content development progresses.

Overview

The Digital Cotton Passport is a textile-specific extension of the UNTP Digital Product Passport designed specifically for cotton products and materials throughout the cotton value chain. It provides a standardized structure for representing cotton products, from raw cotton fibre through to finished cotton textiles, enabling traceability, sustainability claims, and compliance verification.

The Digital Cotton Passport schema (unttp-digital-cotton-passport.0.0.1.json) extends the base UNTP Digital Product Passport specification and establishes specific usage requirements for cotton product classification.

Implementers should familiarize themselves with the UNTP Digital Product Passport specification before implementing Digital Cotton Passports.

Product Classification Requirements

HS 2012 Code 52 Classification

Digital Cotton Passports MUST use the Harmonized System (HS) 2012 classification scheme, specifically Code 52 (Cotton), for product classification in the productCategory property.

The HS 2012 Code 52 classification scheme provides a standardized international classification for cotton products at various stages of processing, from raw cotton through to finished cotton textiles. This ensures interoperability and consistency across international trade and supply chain systems.

Valid HS 2012 Code 52 Classifications

The following HS 2012 Code 52 classifications are valid for use in Digital Cotton Passports:

Code	Name	Description
5201	Cotton not carded or combed	Cotton; not carded or combed
5202	Cotton waste	Cotton waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)
5203	Cotton carded or combed	Cotton, carded or combed
5204	Cotton sewing thread	Cotton sewing thread, whether or not put up for retail sale
5205	Cotton yarn 85% or more cotton	Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, not put up for retail sale
5206	Cotton yarn less than 85% cotton	Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, not put up for retail sale
5207	Cotton yarn retail sale	Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), put up for retail sale
5208	Woven cotton fabrics 85%+ cotton ≤200g/m²	Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing not more than 200 g/m²
5209	Woven cotton fabrics 85%+ cotton >200g/m²	Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing more than 200g/m²
5210	Woven cotton fabrics <85% cotton ≤200g/m²	Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing not more than 200 g/m²
5211	Woven cotton fabrics <85% cotton >200g/m²	Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing more than 200g/m²
5212	Other woven cotton fabrics	Woven fabrics of cotton, n.e.c. in chapter 52

Classification Scheme Reference

The official HS 2012 Code 52 classification details can be accessed at: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52

Implementation Requirements

When implementing the productCategory property in a Digital Cotton Passport, the following requirements apply:

Scheme Identification: The schemeID property MUST be set to the HS 2012 Code 52 scheme identifier:
```
"schemeID": "https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52"
```

Scheme Name: The schemeName property MUST be set to:

"schemeName": "Harmonized System 2012 - Code 52 (Cotton)"

Code Format: The code property MUST contain one of the valid HS 2012 Code 52 codes (5201-5212) as a string.
ID Format: The id property SHOULD be constructed as a URI following the pattern:
```
"id": "https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52/{code}"
```
Where {code} is the specific HS code (e.g., 5201, 5202, etc.).
Name: The name property MUST contain the official name corresponding to the selected HS code as listed in the table above.

Example Classification Usage

The following example demonstrates the correct usage of HS 2012 Code 52 classification in a Digital Cotton Passport:

{
  "productCategory": [
    {
      "type": "Classification",
      "id": "https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52/5205",
      "code": "5205",
      "name": "Cotton yarn 85% or more cotton",
      "schemeID": "https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52",
      "schemeName": "Harmonized System 2012 - Code 52 (Cotton)"
    }
  ]
}

Multiple Classifications

While a Digital Cotton Passport typically contains a single classification corresponding to the product's primary form, the productCategory property is an array and MAY contain multiple classifications if the product legitimately falls into multiple categories. However, at least one classification MUST be from HS 2012 Code 52.

Cotton Species

The Digital Cotton Passport includes a cottonSpecies property within the product object to specify the botanical species of cotton used in the product. This property enables traceability and quality verification by identifying the specific cotton species, which have distinct characteristics and are often associated with different quality grades and end-use applications.

Valid Cotton Species

The cottonSpecies property accepts one of the following four cotton species, which represent the commercially cultivated cotton species:

Species	Common Name	Description
`Gossypium hirsutum`	Upland cotton	The most widely cultivated cotton species, accounting for approximately 90% of global cotton production. Known for its versatility and adaptability.
`Gossypium barbadense`	Pima cotton, Egyptian cotton, Sea Island cotton	Premium long-staple cotton known for its superior strength, softness, and luster. Used in high-quality textiles.
`Gossypium arboreum`	Tree cotton	Old World cotton species, primarily grown in Asia. Shorter staple length, used in traditional textiles.
`Gossypium herbaceum`	Levant cotton	Old World cotton species, one of the earliest cultivated cottons. Limited commercial production today.

Implementation

The cottonSpecies property is optional and should be included in the product object when the cotton species is known and can be verified. It is particularly important for:

Raw cotton and cotton fibre products where species identification is traceable
Products where species-specific quality claims are made
Compliance with regulations or standards that require species identification

Example Usage

The following example demonstrates the usage of the cottonSpecies property:

{
  "credentialSubject": {
    "type": "ProductPassport",
    "product": {
      "type": "Product",
      "id": "https://example.com/products/cotton-bale-12345",
      "name": "Premium Cotton Bale",
      "cottonSpecies": "Gossypium barbadense",
      "productCategory": [
        {
          "type": "Classification",
          "id": "https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52/5201",
          "code": "5201",
          "name": "Cotton not carded or combed",
          "schemeID": "https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Detail/EN/32/52",
          "schemeName": "Harmonized System 2012 - Code 52 (Cotton)"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Notes

The cottonSpecies property uses scientific binomial nomenclature (genus and species) for precision and international standardization.
For products containing multiple cotton species or blends, the property should reflect the primary species (by mass) or may be omitted if a single dominant species cannot be determined.
As products move through the supply chain and undergo processing, species identification may become less traceable. The property should only be included when the information can be reliably verified.

Future Development

As the Digital Cotton Passport specification evolves through working groups and pilot programs, additional cotton-specific requirements and extensions may be added. This documentation will be updated to reflect those changes.

The roadmap for future development includes:

~~Cotton Species Vocabulary~~ (Implemented - see Cotton Species section)
Cotton Specific derivative types
Cotton Fiber Quality Attributes
Cotton variety/cultivar attributes

Overview​

Product Classification Requirements​

HS 2012 Code 52 Classification​

Valid HS 2012 Code 52 Classifications​

Classification Scheme Reference​

Implementation Requirements​

Example Classification Usage​

Multiple Classifications​

Cotton Species​

Valid Cotton Species​

Implementation​

Example Usage​

Notes​

Future Development​