The Index / standard

GS1 Digital Link

GS1 Digital Link gives product identifiers a standard form inside web addresses. For a fashion brand, a QR code can connect a garment's GTIN, with optional batch or serial detail, to online information. A separate resolver specification supports several destinations from the same identity, such as care instructions or a product record; redirects can change without reprinting the code. Brands still need to decide what the identifier represents, who maintains the linked information and how to check its accuracy. Digital Link supplies identification and linking conventions. It neither defines a complete digital product passport nor certifies the sustainability claims attached to one.

Checking Watchlists…

At a glance

Status
URI syntax 1.7.0; resolver 1.2.1
Availability
URI syntax 1.7.0; resolver 1.2.1
Last checked
Sep 9, 2026
Topics
Provenance

What to check

  • Express the GTIN as 14 digits under the current syntax and validate it before printing labels.
  • Choose product, batch or serial detail to match the intended identity. A product identifier alone does not identify an individual garment.
  • A simple redirect can use an ordinary web server; use the separate resolver standard when machine-discoverable links to multiple resources are needed.

History and changes

  1. Updated syntax and resolver

    GS1 ratified URI Syntax 1.7.0 and Resolver 1.2.1 as separate specifications.

    1. GS1 Digital Link URI Syntax 1.7.0

  2. URI syntax 1.4.0

    The syntax changed the primary-key format to express all GTINs as 14-digit strings.

    1. GS1 Digital Link URI Syntax 1.7.0

  3. First ratification recorded by GS1

    GS1's landing page dates first ratification to August 2018. The later syntax change log labels its initial release August 2019; these are distinct source descriptions.

    1. GS1 Digital Link standards

Related records

No linked public coverage.