This autumn, France is launching a new system that allows consumers to understand the environmental impacts associated with the clothes they buy—from production to end-of-life. The label can be added voluntarily to garments from October 1, 2025, but will be mandatory for all products sold in France as of October 1, 2026.

The measure aims, on one hand, to help citizens make more informed and responsible purchasing decisions, and on the other, to guide brands in their eco-design processes and highlight the efforts of those that produce more sustainably—rethinking their supply chains and adopting lower-impact industrial and commercial practices.

The calculation methodology

The label includes a number, known as the coût environnemental (previously Ecoscore), which reflects the impact points of the garment on the planet. These points are calculated using various criteria covering the entire life cycle of the product, from raw material production to end-of-life.

To establish the methodology, more than 400 case studies from several dozen brands were analysed in 2022, and an expert committee was created to guide the public authorities’ work and help shape the system. Through a co-creation process, numerous workshops were held with industry representatives, civil society, life cycle assessment (LCA) experts, and academia.

The method is based on the European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. It also takes into account microfiber emissions, issues linked to the export of used clothing outside Europe, and garment durability. The methodology allows the environmental cost of each garment to be calculated based on parameters defined by the manufacturer, such as product type (trousers, T-shirt, etc.), material (cotton, linen, polyester, etc.), and country of production, among others.

The impacts considered include:

• – water and natural resource consumption, as well as the use of phytosanitary products, during garment production;
• – transport modes used to deliver the product to consumers;
• – microfiber emissions, especially during washing;
• – the garment’s recyclability or reparability;
• – physical durability (resistance to wear and tear from use and maintenance) and non-physical durability (the likelihood of being worn for a long time, considering aspects such as reparability). These durability factors are gradually being integrated into the impact score calculation.

The result is a number: the higher it is, the greater the product’s environmental impact. This way, consumers can compare the environmental footprint of different garments.

Brands that voluntarily wish to include the label on their products must declare their information and data on the portal ecobalyse.beta.gouv.fr.

Products carrying the label

The system covers underwear (boxers and briefs), socks and other undergarments, shirts, jeans and other trousers, skirts and dresses, swimwear, coats and jackets, and T-shirts and polos. Excluded are accessories and footwear, second-hand products, leather items, PPE, and products with more than 20% of their weight composed of non-textile fibres.

The French regulation and its implementation phases

The environmental labelling system was introduced under the Loi Climat et Résilience (Climate and Resilience Law), one of the landmark pieces of legislation for France’s ecological transition. Article 2 of the law requires environmental labelling to inform consumers “reliably and in an easily understandable way” about “the environmental impact of goods and services considered over their entire life cycle.”

The decree and ministerial order regulating the environmental cost label were subject to public consultation in late 2024 and validated by the European Commission in May 2025.

The implementation will happen in two phases:

• Phase 1, from October 1, 2025, to October 1, 2026: voluntary communication, with only brands able to calculate and disclose the environmental cost of their products.
• Phase 2, starting October 1, 2026: the system becomes mandatory. If a brand does not publish the environmental cost of its products, third parties such as distributors or NGOs may calculate and disclose it without the brand’s consent.

Its rollout in France will provide valuable lessons and contribute to European efforts toward a harmonized and operational framework.

How can inèdit help you?

At inèdit, we have extensive experience in quantifying environmental impacts and offer expert consulting and solutions to companies across sectors. If your company is in the textile industry and you want to take action to make your products more sustainable and compliant with French regulations, we can support you by:

• – Integrating the environmental calculations of all your references into a single tool.
• – Delivering results on carbon footprint, Ecoscore, and more than 16 other impact categories.
• – Applying a methodology aligned with the PEF Apparel and Shoes, updatable whenever required.
• – Providing expert advice and support on sustainability matters.