Methodology of the French Eco-score calculation

Introduction: Why measure the environmental impact of textiles?

As explained in our article on the regulatory framework for the textile French Eco-score, the goal of calculating an environmental cost for apparel products is to make their impact measurable, comparable, and transparent to consumers.

But this system goes beyond transparency. Calculating the environmental cost also serves as a regulatory readiness tool. It helps companies anticipate the requirements for the upcoming ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) and prepare for the future Digital Product Passport (DPP), which will likely include an environmental impact index for textiles.

This guide details the methodology behind this environmental cost based on the official ADEME validated framework and implemented through the state start-up Ecobalyse.

For a deeper understanding on the regulatory context and obligations related to environmental labeling in the textile industry, see our dedicated article.

‍

1. French Eco-score: a Life Cycle Assessment better designed for textiles

To guarantee consistency and avoid unreliable or non-comparable scoring methods, the textile environmental cost is determined through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method specifically developed for the industry.

This method is based on the European Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) framework, the scientific standard used for Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). It has been adjusted for the textile industry to account for specific factors such as microfiber release during washing and the export of end-of-life products outside Europe.

In practice, the calculation is performed by Ecobalyse, the state-supported platform managed by ADEME.

Free and open source, Ecobalyse enables any brand to generate a standardized environmental score using its own product data.

💻 Ecobalyse interface: each product is assigned a single score (in points) representing one millionth of the average annual impact of an EU citizen.

‍

2. Input data required for calculating and declaring the textile environmental cost

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

👉

Note: If some fields are left blank, Ecobalyse automatically applies default “penalizing” values (e.g., “unknown country,” “ultra fast-fashion”).

Providing accurate data is the first step toward improving your environmental score.

Each data field below is required to perform the environmental cost calculation and to submit results to ADEME’s official reporting platform.

‍

What data is needed to calculate environmental costs?

Download the checklist!

Fill out the form and get your checklist to see what info you need to send to ADEME and Ecobalyse to figure out the environmental cost of your products.

‍

3. The French Eco-score calculation method

Pre-calculation – Data collection and processing

The platform consolidates all declared data such as mass, materials, countries of origin, manufacturing stages, transport, durability, and accessories to precisely model the garment’s full life cycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life.

When data are missing, default values are automatically applied to maintain consistency and accuracy across all calculations.

Step 1 – Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) following the PEF method (EF 3.1)

Ecobalyse calculates environmental impacts across 16 PEF categories, such as climate change, water use, acidification, resource depletion and freshwater ecotoxicity, etc.To allow for meaningful comparison, impacts are normalized against the average annual footprint of a European citizen and weighted according to their environmental relevance.

‍

‍

Eg: Climate change and freshwater ecotoxicity each account for 21.06% of the total weighting, while others vary between 2% and 7%.

Methodological adjustments include:

• Exclusion of human toxicity indicators (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic).
• Doubling of organic molecule impacts in freshwater ecotoxicity to better reflect biodiversity effects.
• Exclusion of long-term emissions (> 100 years) and correction of uranium resource weighting to reflect the EU electricity mix.

Based on the entered data, Ecobalyse quantifies the impact of each life cycle stage and consolidates them into a single score, expressed in Points (Pts).

‍

💡

Does using recycled material always reduce the score?

Not necessarily. The impact depends on the material and recycling process.

Ecobalyse integrates this effect using the Circular Footprint Formula (CFF), which models the real benefits and impacts of recycling based on both input (R1) and end-of-life (R2) material flows.

For example, recycled cotton often improves the score, while recycled polyester may not, due to the additional processing required.

‍

Step 2 – Textile-specific additions

Two addiitonal indicators (outside the LCA scope and not included in the standard PEF), are added to reflect textile-specific realities:

1. ‍Export of end-of-life products outside Europe.
   Measures the impact of post-consumer textile exports, typically treated as waste abroad. Formula: 0.005 Pts/ kg x product mass x export probability (12.1% for synthetic textiles; 4.9% for others).
2. Microfiber emissions.
   Models the release of plastic or natural microfibers throughout the life cycle, using a coefficient of 0.001 Pt/kg adjusted by fiber type and biodegradability.

Step 3 – Aggregation into a single score

The 16 impact categories derived from the PEF methodology, tailored to the specificities of the textile sector, are then consolidated with the two additional indicators: microfiber emissions and exports outside Europe to produce an overall environmental score.

The result is an overall score, expressed in Points (Pts) and representing the product’s total environmental impact from production to end-of-life.

Step 4 – Applying the ‘durability’ coefficient

Finally, the score is adjusted to reflect product durability, using a coefficient that rewards garments designed for longevity and repairability.

This coefficient ranges from 0.67 (low durability) to 1.45 (high durability), based on two criteria:

• The presence of repair or after-sales services, and
• The width of the product range  (fewer variants = higher durability).

The more durable the product, the lower its environmental cost.

Step 5 – Final Eco-score

The final environmental cost is automatically generated by Ecobalyse or through the ADEME submission platform (if used directly).

It is expressed in Points (Pts), a standardized unit allowing product-to-product comparison.

Conclusion

The environmental cost tells the story of your product, from design and production to transport, use, and end-of-life.

The score isn’t the goal; it reflects the quality and reliability of your data across the supply chain. It also reveals gaps and inconsistencies, helping you improve data accuracy and reduce real environmental impact.

More than a compliance metric, it’s a strategic communication tool that helps brands speak credibly about their impact, show progress, and earn consumer trust.

The next module explores why data reliability matters for both compliance and brand performance and how this score can drive transparent, trustworthy communication about sustainability.