Ecodesign (ESPR): The EU’s New Mandatory Framework for Product Design

At the core of the European Commission’s new sustainable product policy, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) requires products to be developed in a way that is more sustainable, more circular, and more resource-efficient — starting at the design phase.

This is not about “reducing carbon after production”.

Ecodesign aims to reduce resource use and embedded carbon while the product is still on the design screen.

It makes products:

• more durable

• reusable

• repairable

• recyclable

as a design requirement — not an optional attribute.

 Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) 

Core Components of Ecodesign (ESPR Framework)

Component	Definition
Product durability	extending lifetime, reducing early failure
Repairability & reuse	disassembly and repair accessibility
Recyclability	material recycling efficiency
Minimum recycled content	recycled material share inside the product
Hazardous substance reduction	lowering chemical/toxic risk
Energy / resource efficiency	lower energy & material use during production & use phase
Digital Product Passport (DPP)	traceability & transparency of product information

ESPR Structure: Information vs Performance Requirements

ESPR defines requirements in two dimensions:

Category	Scope	Examples
Information Requirements	creating a transparent information layer on the product	material composition / recycled content / repair instructions / DPP data fields
Performance Requirements	physical & functional sustainability outcomes of the product	durability / recyclability level / energy efficiency / chemical risk reduction

This difference is crucial because:

The EU no longer only wants “information disclosure” — it expects the product itself to perform more sustainably.

The era of “putting a label on it” is over.The product must genuinely be better.

Why This Matters for Industry

EU markets now evaluate products not only by functional performance — but by sustainability performance.

CBAM + ESPR + DPP together reshape:

• material selection

• product development strategy

• supply chain requirements

• PLM / ERP data structures

In short:

unsustainable design = non-competitive export position in the EU.

How Optimimax Supports This Transition

Optimimax operationalizes ecodesign targets through digital twin + real-time carbon intelligence.

• evaluates CO₂e impacts of material & process alternatives

• generates standardized data for DPP implementation

• visualizes sustainability parameters at design time

This enables manufacturers to answer the critical question at the moment of decision:

“Which material / which process / which option saves how many kg CO₂e?”

Ecodesign is no longer a “nice-to-have” — it is a competitive advantage multiplier.

Optimimax makes the full chaindesign → production → reporting traceable, measurable, and compliant.

👉 Request a demo or learn more at: www.optimimax.com

See how Optimimax operationalises ESPR requirements → / Plans

Kaynak: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation