EPCIS — Electronic Product Code Information Services
Official GS1 standard for the capture and exchange of visibility events in supply chains. EPCIS 2.0 was ratified in June 2022 with native JSON-LD support and a REST API.
Context
EPCIS 2.0 (Electronic Product Code Information Services) is the official GS1 standard for the capture and exchange of visibility events in supply chains. It defines 5 canonical dimensions per event: WHAT (object), WHERE (location), WHEN (timestamp), WHY (business reason), HOW (sensors/attributes).
Regulatory origin
Official GS1 standard ratified in Jun 2022 (EPCIS 2.0). Successor to EPCIS 1.2 with native JSON-LD support. Canonical technical backbone of multi-tier traceability in the textile DPP.
The 5 canonical dimensions per EPCIS event
Object · GS1 identifiers (GTIN, SSCC, GLN) involved in the event.
Location · GLN (Global Location Number) of the event.
Timestamp · ISO 8601 with timezone.
Business reason · business step (commissioning, shipping, observe) + business transaction.
Sensors/attributes · temperature, humidity, sourceList/destinationList.
Timeline
EPCIS 1.0
First version of the standard.
EPCIS 1.2
Previous version with XML support.
EPCIS 2.0 ratified
Current version with native JSON-LD support + REST API.
Applied case
A textile brand implements EPCIS 2.0 for multi-tier traceability in its cotton-garment-distribution chain.
Each key event in the chain is recorded as a JSON-LD EPCIS event: cotton ginning, spinning, dyeing, garment-making, packing, shipping, retail.
Events shared on a central platform (TraceWeave) accessible to the brand + tier 1-4 suppliers.
Visibility queries: the brand asks "where is lot X" or "what happened between commissioning and shipping" in seconds.
Traceability meets ESPR DPP (machine-readable, structured, no vendor lock-in) and CSDDD (documented multi-tier due diligence).
Common mistakes
EPCIS is not blockchain.
It is an event capture standard. Events can be anchored to a blockchain for immutability, but blockchain is optional.
EPCIS does not resolve upstream traceability on its own.
It is the standard for capturing events. Contractual and operational adoption by tier 2/3 suppliers is what produces real traceability.
EPCIS 2.0 is not fully compatible with EPCIS 1.x.
The shift to JSON-LD and the semantic web requires updating adapters. Old systems require migration.
EPCIS is not exclusive to textiles.
It is a cross-cutting standard used in food, health, retail and logistics. Its adoption in textiles is growing with the DPP.
Frequently asked questions
What is EPCIS 2.0?
GS1 Electronic Product Code Information Services 2.0, an official GS1 standard ratified in Jun 2022 for the capture and exchange of visibility events in supply chains. It defines 5 canonical dimensions per event: WHAT (object), WHERE (location), WHEN (timestamp), WHY (business reason), HOW (optional sensors/attributes).
How is EPCIS 2.0 applied to the textile DPP?
EPCIS 2.0 captures the events of the textile product lifecycle: commissioning (creation), packing, shipping, observe (intermediate check), decommission (end-of-life). Each event is recorded with GS1 identification + timestamp + GLN location + CBV business step + attributes. It adds multi-tier traceability to the structured DPP.
What is the difference between EPCIS 2.0 and a conventional ERP system?
A conventional ERP uses proprietary formats with no cross-company interoperability. EPCIS 2.0 is a public GS1 standard that enables native cross-company exchange. Any ERP can export to EPCIS 2.0 (JSON-LD or XML) and another company import without coupling. It is the "common language" of visibility in the chain.
What is the difference between EPCIS and GS1 Digital Link?
EPCIS captures visibility EVENTS (what happened, where, when). GS1 Digital Link is the resolvable URL IDENTIFIER of the product. EPCIS is history; Digital Link is identity. They coexist in the DPP — Digital Link identifies the item, EPCIS traces it throughout its lifecycle.
Fuentes oficiales
- GS1 Global2022Technical standard
- GS1 Global2024Technical guidance
- ISO2017ISO standard
