Meet Kasper, CEO & Co-Founder of Tree®, a pioneering blockchain-secured platform built to provide next-generation Digital Product Passports (DPPs) that go beyond simple compliance. Drawing on their deep involvement with EU policy, Tree® empowers brands to meet the upcoming EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) with scalable, verified transparency solutions.
In May 2025, Tree® debuted at Fashion in Helsinki and launched a five-year partnership with ASK Scandinavia, marking a major milestone in their shared commitment to transparency, material and product storytelling. With the launch of products like the Nova Tote powered by Tree®’s DPP technology, ASK became one of the first Nordic brands to integrate DPPs across their entire product line. This isn't a pilot—it's a new standard.
In this interview, we explore how Tree®’s vision, combined with ASK’s dedication to innovation and sustainability, is reshaping the future of fashion. Kasper shares his insights on the evolution of DPPs, the importance of verified transparency, and how next-gen materials can drive real change in the industry.
What led you to create Tree® and how has your work with EU policy helped shape the platform’s ability to support brands preparing for the DPP legislation?
Our work with Tree® actually initiated about five years back when Rasmus (my co-founder) and I established STRGL, something I’d describe today as a R&D vehicle that led us to work in the realm of Data Economy. Together with Nordic institutions, we approached the EU regulation driven topics of digital identities, both for companies and products – from our blockchain perspective.
In short, our research with DPPs has focused on three different components: immutable (and decentralized database), standardized data model, and engaging user experience. The first two components are regulatory, and the third one consumer-driven.
Launched in May 2025 at Fashion in Helsinki, Tree® kicked off a five-year partnership with ASK. Why did you choose to make this a long-term collaboration from the start and what do you hope this signals to the industry?
Tree® is committed to revolutionizing how companies create value through transparency. Most importantly, that requires our brand partners to have sustainability as part of their critical DNA.
ASK Scandinavia is a brand born in the whole new era of sustainability. Their responsible commitment to the most innovative commercial materials makes them a dream partner for the countdown towards a new set of eco-design regulations. A lot will happen during this transformative period, but industry-native allies give Tree® a strong position for success.
Many DPP platforms stop at regulatory compliance. Tree® adds something more; verified material storytelling and next-gen material visibility. Why is that added depth important for brands today?
As important as we consider the data itself, the gathering and documentation is only the first half of the work. The rest is about making it count. Our design principles come from an award-winning service design position and we approach the topic of DPPs from the consumer facing engagement.
Digital transparency only fulfills its promise when the communication meets existing UX standards.
The Nova Tote DPP highlights everything from FSC-certified SPINNOVA® fiber to coffee-waste-based dye. What role do you see DPPs playing in accelerating the adoption and visibility of next-gen, better materials?
Simply put, sustainable products are much harder and more expensive to make than unsustainable ones.
Material innovation companies like Spinnova are making great branding efforts to communicate their value proposition – but without engaging communication together with brands, this information gets lost in translation. Tree® is committed to building tools for value creation between supplier-brand partnerships.
ASK is launching DPPs as a new standard, not a pilot. In a landscape where many brands are still experimenting, what does full implementation unlock and why is now the right moment for it?
This transformation period – driven both by consumers and authorities – is a great sandbox for companies to experiment with best practices towards their future collections. Most of our customers today, like ASK, have the unconditional commitment towards sustainability in the core values.
In a time when responsible practices are becoming part of the basic consumer expectations, the differentiation is in the details. Full transparency unlocks a new level of trust, and consumer relationships overall. Guaranteed.
Looking ahead, how do you see the relationship between regulation, technology, and design evolving, and what role will Tree® play in helping brands lead rather than react?
To this point of time, the conversation around these topics has focused heavily on regulation. As the industry-driven investments of time and capital accumulate, I’m beyond excited to see market-driven innovation evolving into real value for all the stakeholders.
At the end of the day, the industry needs ways to create sustainable value, way beyond compliance. That’s what really counts.
As Tree® and ASK launch this game-changing partnership, it is not just following the trend, this collaboration serves as a beacon of what’s possible when transparency, innovation and storytelling come together in the fashion industry. A collaboration proving that the future of fashion isn’t just about looking good, it’s about charging the good, with real impact, verified at every step.