Starting October 1, 2025, France’s Eco-Score – a lifecycle assessment-based environmental labeling system for textiles and clothing sold in France – will take effect. This is a direct result from the 2021 Climate and Resilience Act, and could shape the future of environmental labeling in fashion and apparel. Officially called “Environmental Cost” (Coût Environnemental), the policy is outlined in Decree No. 2025-957. It is designed to help consumers understand the true impact of fashion and textiles they buy.
If you’re an apparel brand selling in France, this matters.
At TrusTrace, we’re partnering with Peftrust® to enable brands to act on environmental scoring and risk reduction at scale – while making reporting seamless. Here’s what you need to know to ensure you calculate accurate Eco-Scores for your products by October 2026.
Image from ADEME depicting the French environmental labelling scheme and how the scores are calculated (above).
The French Textile Environmental Cost is an environmental labeling system for clothing and textile products sold in France. It gives each product a score that shows the environmental cost of production. The score considers effects throughout its lifecycle using data like carbon emissions, water use, chemicals, durability and additional parameters from PEF that are fashion-specific environmental impacts such as microfibers.
The French government has built this system using Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) as the foundation, and the method, called Ecobalyse, is closely aligned with the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) standard.
The labelling scheme comes into effect on October 1, 2025. Publishing an eco-score is, so far, voluntary, but the methodology is mandatory. But from October 1, 2026, third parties will be able to publish the Eco‑Score for an apparel product on the French market that lacks an eco-score.
If you publish an Eco-Score for an apparel or textile item, the data must go into the government’s declaration portal, Ecobalyse along with the compulsory calculations. Once you choose to publish an Eco-Score or any "green" claim, you must do it correctly.
Even if you’re not based in France, you are still obligated to substantiate claims if your products are sold in France. The rule applies to any brand, importer, or distributor placing textile goods with eco-claims on the French market.
One way to ease this process is using software like TrusTrace and Peftrust® as they come with API integrations that automate your data into Ecobaylse and calculate the eco-score for you.
Products in scope: |
Out of scope: |
|
|
According to Fashion Network’s analysis, “all previous environmental scores displayed by brands that do not align with the new methodology will be considered non-compliant.”
This means that any environmental impact claims—such as carbon footprint, eco-design scores, production location, processes or sustainability ratings—must now be supported by the standardized methodology and database defined under France’s Environmental Cost (French Eco-Score) regulation. Brands continuing to use legacy claims that do not conform to the new rules in this market risk regulatory penalties in France.
Here’s where things get interesting: If you don’t have your own product data (primary data), the French Eco-Score will be calculated using industry averages. That means your product’s environmental impact could be seriously under- or overestimated.
The average data model based on industry averages doesn’t reflect the real work many brands are doing to improve. To stand out, you need traceable, primary data.
TrusTrace provides the traceability infrastructure that connects verified, real-world supply chain data to each product. We get brands the primary data they need to accurately reduce risks and improve supply chain impact. This ensures your Eco-Score is based on actual material flows and processes – not assumptions.
According to the Decree, France grants brands a one-year grace period from October 1st, 2025 during which only brands may calculate and submit their Eco‑Scores. But from 2026, third parties will be able to publish the Eco‑Score for a product if the brand has not published theirs, even without needing brand approval. This makes it more important than ever to act early, ensure data accuracy, and control the narrative.
In other words, if you're not in control of your own data, someone else could define your product’s environmental impact—accurately or not.
This is a major risk. Not only could it damage your brand reputation, but it could also lead to unfair scores that don’t reflect your sustainability work.
The better path? Own the process.
In partnership with Peftrust®, we ensure that the data captured through TrusTrace is directly compatible with France’s official environmental cost methodology. Peftrust® provides the scoring engine that models environmental impact in line with the French regulation, using Ecobalyse and textile-specific indicators.
Together, TrusTrace and Peftrust® support brands by enabling:
By working with TrusTrace and Peftrust®, you’re building a foundation for future-proof eco-scoring compliance and brand trust.
“The real advantage comes when brands turn environmental cost into a strength,” says Denby Royal, the Head of Sales from Peftrust®. “Together with TrusTrace, we provide trusted data that is verified, compliant, and traceable, so brands can own their claims early, before others define the story for them.”
If your brand sells into France or plans to, here’s how to prepare:
By using TrusTrace to trace products from raw material to finished goods, and leveraging Peftrust® for score generation, brands create a reliable foundation for eco-designing products – one that is fast, verifiable, scalable by design, and aligned with evolving regulatory standards.
France’s Eco-Score is just the beginning. The EU is moving toward similar labeling systems—and customers are demanding more transparency.
Don't leave your score – or your reputation – to chance.
Want to learn more about how TrusTrace supports Eco-Score compliance?
We partner with leading brands to deliver traceability that will enable you to efficiently comply with Europe's Textile Labeling Schemes. Contact Sales today.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult legal professionals for guidance specific to your situation.