What is Ecobalyse?
Ecobalyse is the French government’s official framework to measure the environmental impact of textile products.
From October 1st, 2025, if a brand shows any environmental data (such as carbon footprint) on products sold in France, it must include an Environmental Cost label.
What is the Environmental Cost?
The Environmental Cost is a score reflecting the total environmental impact of a textile product across its full life cycle:
Raw material → Production → Transportation → Usage → End of life
It is calculated using a standardized LCA methodology aligned with the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) framework.
Calculation method
The total impact is a weighted sum of 16 impact categories, normalized and aggregated:
Aggregate Impact = 1,000,000 × Σ (Weighting × (Impact / Normalisation))
- Expressed in impact points (Pts)
- Higher score = greater environmental impact
Impact Categories
Ecobalyse uses 16 impact categories (from the French Ministerial Order, 6 September 2025), adapted from EU PEF (Recommendation 2021/2279):
| Impact Category | Unit | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Climate change | kg CO₂ eq | 21.06% |
| Ozone depletion | kg CFC-11 eq | 6.31% |
| Ionising radiation | kBq U-235 eq | 5.01% |
| Photochemical ozone formation | kg NMVOC eq | 4.78% |
| Particulate matter | disease inc. | 8.96% |
| Human toxicity, non-cancer | CTUh | 1.84% |
| Human toxicity, cancer | CTUh | 2.13% |
| Acidification | mol H+ eq | 6.20% |
| Eutrophication, freshwater | kg P eq | 2.80% |
| Eutrophication, marine | kg N eq | 2.96% |
| Eutrophication, terrestrial | mol N eq | 3.71% |
| Ecotoxicity, freshwater | CTUe | 2.00% |
| Land use | Pt | 7.94% |
| Water use | m³ depriv. | 8.51% |
| Resource use, fossils | MJ | 8.32% |
| Resource use, minerals and metals | kg Sb eq | 7.55% |
Additional Impacts (Outside LCA)
Ecobalyse adds two supplementary criteria not included in the EU PEF baseline:
1. End-of-life outside Europe
- Impact of exported used textiles not properly managed
- Formula: 5,000 Pts/kg × probability of export
- 12.1% for synthetics
- 4.9% for others
2. Microfibre emissions
- Release of fibres < 5 mm during use, washing, disposal
- Weighted by fibre type:
- 82% synthetic
- 25% cotton
- 39% wool
- Aggregation: 1,000 Pts/kg
Final Environmental Cost
Final score = LCA aggregated impact + supplementary impacts (microfibres + exported waste)
Product Categories
Included categories
- T-shirts / Polos (tank tops, long sleeves, camisoles, rompers)
- Sweaters (cardigans, hoodies, pullovers)
- Trousers / Shorts (chinos, leggings, pyjama bottoms)
- Coats / Jackets (parkas, suits, windbreakers)
- Skirts / Dresses (jumpsuits, nightdresses, culottes)
- Denim (jeans, dungarees)
- Shirts (blouses, tunics)
- Swimwear (bikinis, one-pieces, wetsuits)
- Underwear (boxers, briefs, panties)
- Socks / Tights (stockings, leg warmers)
Excluded
- Bras
- Silk-only products
- Home textiles
- Electronic garments
- Technical apparel
Mandatory parameters
To calculate the Environmental Cost in compliance with the French Ecobalyse methodology, specific product data is required. Ensure the following parameters are declared for each product to generate a valid and representative Environmental Cost:
1. Product identification
- Product category: The specific type of garment (e.g., T-shirt, Jeans, Coat, Dress).
- Mass: The total weight of the finished product (expressed in kilograms).
2. Article & Material composition
You must declare the full composition of the product, including:
- Article composition and weights (kg): The different fabrics and materials used (e.g., Woven, Knit, in kg).
- Material composition and percentages (%): The specific fiber used (e.g., Cotton, Polyester, Viscose in %).
3. Traceability
Traceability is key to the Ecobalyse score. You must specify the geographical location (Country) for the following three production steps:
- Material Processing: The country where the weaving or knitting took place.
- Finishing: The country where dyeing, printing, or finishing treatments were applied.
- Manufacturing: The country where the final sewing and assembly of the garment occurred.
Why is this data mandatory?
These parameters are the minimum data points needed to generate a legal Environmental Cost score under the French decree (Decree No. 2024-957). While other factors (such as transport methods, durability coefficients, and microfiber release) influence the score, these core parameters establish the baseline Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Ecobalyse Requirements Summary
- Environmental score required if any sustainability claim is shown
- Based on LCA (9 stages) from material to end-of-life
- Must follow French methodology based on PEF
- Applies per SKU (per GTIN)
- Labels must be visible online and offline
- Includes microfibres + exported waste extra points