Eco-Score Software for Textile and Fashion

The French Eco-Score, now officially renamed “Environmental Cost” (French: Coût Environnemental), is an environmental labeling system for textile and apparel products under France’s Climate and Resilience Law. It is a methodology for assessing and communicating the environmental impacts of textile products, building on life cycle assessment and evaluations of 16 environmental indicators such as carbon emissions, water consumption, and biodiversity impact.

Read the French Eco-Score deep dive here

The environmental labeling requirements apply to all producers, importers, and distributors who place textile products on the French market. This includes any apparel company, French or foreign, that operates within the French market, regardless of its origin​.

Environmental cost covers only“produits textiles d’habillement” (clothing made of textile fibres) (natural or synthetic) and any textile accessory components integrated into those garments. Materials like fur and leather are not within the scope of the eco-score because they are not made of textile fibers. Shoes and accessories are also excluded. Find other exceptions here.

The Environmental Cost labeling system entered public consultation at the end of 2024 and was approved by the European Commission on May 15, 2025. Once the Conseil d’État completes its review, brands may begin calculating and publishing Eco-Scores voluntarily in the second half of 2025. One year after this voluntary rollout, the scheme becomes fully open: any retailer or distributor operating in France may publish a product’s Environmental Cost on behalf of the brand without additional approval.

You can use our free Eco-Score Benchmark tool. It allows you to calculate your product scores and compares it to real industry data.

Access the free tool here

Even though it’s voluntary at first, you’ll want to calculate your own Eco-Score because, one year after launch, third parties (distributors, apps) can publish scores using conservative default data, resulting in higher, less favorable ratings. Brand-calculated scores, which can incorporate detailed material and process information, automatically override any third-party score (within one month), giving you a more accurate, and typically lower, impact score.

The French Eco-score methodology aims to correct the biases and shortcomings of the European PEFCR framework which does not yet include durability, micro-plastics, biodiversity loss and significantly underestimates the impacts of polyester. Eco-Score thereby introduces criteria that relate not only to the products but to the commercial practices of the fashion brand that manufactures them, tackling fast fashion. Find detailed comparison here