Leveraging Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) in Fashion & Textiles

LCA - Life Cycle Assessment

If you work in sustainability, product, or compliance, you’ve heard the term LCA everywhere.

But what does a Life Cycle Assessment actually involve? What data do you need? What makes one credible? And how do you use it to make real product decisions, not just a PDF report?

This whitepaper breaks it down clearly, using practical examples from the fashion and textile industry, and shows how LCAs sit at the core of Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), France’s Environmental Cost score (Ecobalyse), and Digital Product Passports.

 

What’s Inside

  • What an LCA really measures:  From raw materials to end-of-life. Understand system boundaries, functional units, and why they matter for PEF, French scores, and DPP data models.
  • The 4 mandatory steps of an ISO-compliant LCA:  Goal & scope, inventory, impact assessment, interpretation. If it doesn’t follow this structure, it won’t support credible environmental scoring.
  • The 16 environmental impact categories used in PEF:  Climate, water, land use, toxicity, resource depletion and more, plus how midpoint and endpoint methods lead to a single score.
  • Why LCAs are hard in textiles:  Global supply chains, mixed materials, supplier data gaps. Learn how primary vs secondary data and databases like EF and Ecoinvent affect accuracy.
  • How brands use LCA results:  For eco-design, product comparison, environmental labelling (including France’s Environmental Cost), Digital Product Passport readiness, and better product decisions.
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Why This Matters Now

LCAs are moving from sustainability teams into everyday product workflows.

Brands are using product-level impact data to guide design, support environmental labelling, and prepare for Digital Product Passports. At the same time, PEF and France’s Ecobalyse system are making LCA-based scoring part of standard operations.

In fashion and textiles, LCAs provide the backbone connecting eco-design, French Environmental Cost scores, PEF, and DPPs into a single product data foundation.

If you’re working on product environmental footprint, textile LCAs, French Environmental Cost scoring, or Digital Product Passports, this is a solid starting point.

 

👉 Download the whitepaper to understand how LCAs power PEF, Ecobalyse, and DPPs, and how to use them in practice.

 

PEF and the French Environmental Score: Why Fashion Brands Use Both

As environmental labelling becomes more visible, especially in France, we often hear the same question from brands:  

“What’s the difference between the French environmental score and PEF?
And do we really need both?”

 

And it’s a great question.

This page explains how the French environmental score is built on the PEF methodology and calculated using Ecobalyse, and how brands should understand the relationship between these frameworks.

French policymakers often explain the relationship between the two using a simple image: the French environmental score is the cherry on top of the PEF cake.

PEF provides the technical foundation. It’s the part that ensures environmental impacts are calculated in a robust and consistent way. The French environmental score builds on that foundation, translating those results into a format that works for consumer-facing communication.

In other words, the French score doesn’t replace PEF. It sits on top of it.

In practice, this is why many brands don’t treat this as a choice. The French environmental score is used to communicate impact clearly, while PEF is what teams rely on for ecodesign, reporting, and longer-term work.

 

The French Environmental Score: A Critical Tool for Communication

France has taken a leading role in environmental labelling for clothing.

The French environmental score is designed to make environmental impact understandable and comparable for consumers, directly at the point of sale and on the product’s webpage.

If you want a detailed overview of how the regulation works and how the score is calculated, we cover it in depth here: Pioneering the French Environmental Score Integration

From a brand perspective, the French score is often the first visible step into environmental assessment:

    • Communicate more transparently about impact
    • Build consumer trust
    • Introduce environmental scoring in a way that’s easy to explain internally

This isn’t “just marketing.” How brands talk about impact matters, especially when claims are increasingly scrutinised. The French environmental score provides a shared reference point that makes those conversations clearer and more credible.

 

Where the French Score Fits, and Where It Reaches Its Limits

Because the French environmental score is built for communication, it works best when the goal is to explain impact clearly.

However, as brands go further, especially when they want to:

  • Compare productions processes
  • Add specific trims, packaging
  • Work on ecodesign
  • Access to a full customizable LCA
  • Report on Scope 3 emissions
  • Prepare for broader EU requirements, like Digital Product Passports (DPP)

They often need a methodology that goes deeper.This is usually where PEF enters the conversation.

Peftrust - PEF and the French Environmental Score with a cake

PEF: Supporting Decisions and Long-Term Work

How Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) is designed to support analysis and decision-making.

It provides a more detailed methodological framework & broader data coverage, which makes it suitable for: 

  • Ecodesign and product improvement
  • Understanding environmental hotspots
  • Working with secondary data in a consistent way
  • Preparing for EU-level reporting and future requirements

In practice, PEF is what teams rely on when environmental data needs to inform product strategy, not only public communication.

 

Why Brands Often Use Both

Using both approaches isn’t redundant: it’s complementary.

For many brands:

  • The French environmental score supports consumer-facing transparency and regulatory alignment in France
  • PEF supports internal work on environmental performance, ecodesign, and long-term readiness

One helps explain impact. The other helps reduce it.

The key is ensuring both are built on consistent data foundations, so teams don’t end up maintaining parallel systems.

As Carolin Bottin, the eco-design leader at KIABI, put it in our recent collaborative whitepaper, Environmental Impact at Scale (click here to download), having a foundation of both scores calculated in Peftrust is vital:

“When the DPP becomes mandatory, it will be a source of pride for us to meet it. Because in fact, we're preparing for it and we're not afraid!”

— Caroline Bottin, Eco-design Leader, Kiabi

 

The Future of the French Score

It’s also important to look at where things are heading.

The French environmental score is not developing in isolation. It is widely understood as a national implementation that aligns with, and is expected to converge toward, EU-level environmental assessment frameworks, including PEF-based approaches.

For brands, this matters in very practical terms. If environmental scoring is built in a way that’s tightly coupled to a single national format, there’s a real risk of having to redo assessments as EU requirements evolve.

“Both enrich each other. Eventually, we will have a holistic PEF/ Eco-Score system that will have both an internalised eco-design and product evaluation at the moment of purchase.”

— Laurent Bocahut, CEO of Peftrust, in our recent webinar on the French ecoscore with Trustrace
 
Watch the webinar on the French ecoscore here
 

 

This is why many teams focus early on building data and calculations that can serve both current French requirements and future EU-level scoring, rather than treating them as completely separate exercises. 

 

 

Making Both Scores Manageable in Practice

This is usually the point where the conversation shifts.

The value of double scoring is clear. What teams worry about is whether it will mean more spreadsheets, more reconciliation, and more time spent explaining numbers internally.

In practice, the questions are very practical:

  • How do we keep results aligned across frameworks?
  • How do we understand why scores differ without redoing the work?
  • How do we avoid building two parallel systems?
  • And how do we roll this out across all products that need to be scored?

This is where the way scoring is set up matters more than the methodologies themselves.

At Peftrust, PEF and the French environmental score are handled within the same workflow. For qualifying products, teams can see both scores side by side, using the same underlying data. That makes it easier to understand where results align, where they differ, and why.

The aim isn’t to add another layer to existing processes. It is to support today’s communication requirements while staying aligned with how environmental scoring is expected to evolve at EU level.

 

What is Next?

With a shared setup, teams can use the French environmental score for clear, consumer-facing communication while relying on PEF for ecodesign, performance improvement, and reporting. Because both are built in, there’s less manual reconciliation and less time spent aligning numbers between teams.

Done this way, double scoring doesn’t feel like doing the work twice.

It becomes a way to connect communication and performance without making day-to-day work heavier.

France’s Eco-Score for Textiles Is Now Official

France’s Eco-Score for Textiles Is Now Official

Peftrust Launches Beta Integration to Help Brands Prepare

 

It’s official: on May 15, 2025, Agnès PANNIER-RUNACHER, Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, the Sea, and Fisheries, announced that the European Commission has validated France’s regulatory framework for voluntary environmental labelling of clothing. This milestone marks a major advancement in sustainability, eco-design, and transparency for the European textile sector.

What Is the Environmental Cost Label?

Known as the coût environnemental (environmental cost), the new labelling system evaluates the entire life cycle of a garment, from material production to end-of-life. It measures emission factors such as:

* Carbon footprint

* Water use

* Fossil resource depletion

* Agrochemical usage

* Microfibre emissions

The methodology is based on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) developed by the European Commission, with additional metrics tailored to the fashion sector, including durability and non-EU exports.

Following a public consultation in late 2024, the framework is now set for voluntary rollout in the second half of 2025. The goal is to empower consumers with clear environmental information and support manufacturers in driving eco-design improvements.

“With this measure, consumers will be able to know the environmental impact of what they buy, and sustainable producers will stand out,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

Peftrust: Helping You Get Ready Today

To support this transition, Peftrust has launched a beta version of the official eco-score, fully integrated into its platform: ready for real-world testing and implementation.

With Peftrust, brands can:

* Preview official scores using real product data

* Upload product data in bulk: no reformatting headaches

* Generate official environmental scores automatically

* Create eco-labels for e-commerce, packaging, and in-store displays

* Push data directly to the declaration portal: no extra steps

No additional setup needed, if you’re already using Peftrust, you’re ready.

As France takes the lead in environmental labelling and the EU moves closer to harmonised sustainability scoring, Peftrust remains committed to making PEF, LCA, and eco-design accessible, automated, and scalable for every brand.

France’s Eco-Score for Textiles Is Now Official

Why BUT & Conforama Chose Peftrust to Lead Their Product Sustainability Efforts

Originally published in Information Enterprise No. 194 (April–June 2025), this English translation features an interview with Peftrust® co-founder Laurent Bocahut and highlights how the company supports one of France’s largest home goods retailers, BUT and Conforama, scale their environmental initiatives.

Using data-driven Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), these companies are not only measuring product impact with unmatched precision—they’re redefining what sustainable product development looks like at scale.

The high-precision environmental impact of products

Reducing the environmental footprint of products is no longer a choice—it’s a necessity. With stricter regulations and consumers demanding greater transparency, companies must find ways to assess and reduce their impact accurately.

Yet, precise measurement remains a complex challenge, largely due to scattered and hard-to-use data. Peftrust® offers an innovative answer to this challenge: a powerful technology that automates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) at scale—with unmatched precision.

Information Enterprise: Why has Life Cycle Assessment become essential for evaluating a product’s environmental impact?

Laurent Bocahut (CEO, Peftrust®): It all starts with measurement. As the saying goes, you can only reduce what you can measure, and you can only improve what you can evaluate. Until the 2020s, product-level environmental impact wasn’t well quantified. The focus was mostly on corporate footprints, especially carbon reporting.

But over time, it became clear that for companies—fashion brands, for example—around 90% of their impact came from the products themselves. That shifted the key question to: How do we measure that footprint? The answer is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which provides a thorough, reliable view of a product’s environmental profile.

I.E.: Can you explain how Peftrust® addresses this?

Laurent Bocahut: Traditionally, LCA has been performed one product at a time using specialized software—often slow and requiring expert input. But for large retailers like Carrefour, Kiabi, BUT, or Conforama, managing tens or hundreds of thousands of SKUs, this isn’t sustainable.

That’s where Peftrust® comes in. Our platform enables companies to perform LCAs at scale—efficiently and dynamically. Unlike traditional tools that offer a static score, our technology evolves with the product, its supply chain, and data sources.

Our real strength? We’re a data-first solution, purpose-built to handle massive datasets and deliver high-precision environmental assessments.

I.E.: How does Peftrust® turn raw company data into meaningful, actionable LCA results?

Laurent Bocahut: Most brands already hold a wealth of data—they just don’t always realise it. It’s scattered across departments like product development, supply chain, ERP systems, and traceability tools.

Our role at Peftrust® is to equip brands with the tools to identify, process, and analyse this data to perform LCAs. Importantly, companies don’t need to pre-format anything. Our system automatically converts and structures the data before sending it to our high-frequency computing engine. Throughout the process, brands retain full control and visibility over their data.

I.E.: What effect does environmental labeling have on consumer behavior?

Laurent Bocahut: It’s becoming a major force for change. Consumer behavior is evolving rapidly, especially in response to eco-scores.

Recent studies show that environmental labeling—similar to the Nutri-Score system in food—significantly influences buying decisions in non-food categories. We’re seeing that roughly 40% of purchasing decisions shift toward products with environmental information, and that trend is even stronger for top-rated items (A or B).

This momentum is being reinforced by regulation. France recently submitted a decree on textile environmental labeling to the EU (February 13), setting the stage for rollout in 2025. Fashion will be the first sector, but there’s already discussion of expanding it to home goods and cosmetics.

At Peftrust®, we’re already supporting our clients through this shift, offering reliable, data-powered eco-design tools tailored to today’s rising consumer expectations.

Client perspective: BUT-Conforama on Eco-Design

What’s driving BUT-Conforama toward eco-design?

Brondon Tchienkoua, Eco-design Project Manager, BUT Conforama Group: BUT and Conforama are two longstanding key players in the French home goods market. Our commitment to the ecological transition reflects our position in the industry. We see this moment as an opportunity—to mobilise the sector, innovate, and reimagine how we do business in line with the future.

The products we put on the market account for over 80% of our Scope 3 carbon footprint. That’s why environmental impact has become a critical factor in how we design and develop our products—to meet the urgent demands of decarbonisation.





How are you measuring and reducing the environmental impact of your products?

B.T: We’ve created an environmental performance benchmark for our products called Habitons Mieux. This method, grounded in Life Cycle Assessment, helps us pinpoint the key areas where eco-design can make a difference, based on defined criteria.

To further this initiative, we’ve partnered with Peftrust® to roll out Life Cycle Assessments at scale across our product range. This collaboration allows us to industrialise the process, bring greater accuracy and regulatory alignment to how we measure environmental impact, and track the tangible benefits of our eco-design efforts.



What are your three keys to success?

B.T: Our three keys to success are :

1/ Engaging our full ecosystem from industrial partners and sourcing teams to internal staff—in the mission to measure and reduce our products’ environmental footprint.

2/ Positioning the BUT-Conforama Group as a responsible leader in the home goods sector.

3/ Staying ahead of regulations by embedding nationally and EU-endorsed best practices into our processes.

Understanding the Basics of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)

Part One:The Basics

 

Winter is coming.❄️

Last week we had the pleasure of presenting to joint members of the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and the Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel-Industrie e.V. (BSI). We discussed why a standardized approach to environmental impact assessment is crucial for the outdoor sector. Especially as brands aim to measure and report their environmental impact accurately.

There were many great questions, and we wanted to share a snapshot of the key takeaways from that presentation here.

What is the PEF Methodology?

PEF is a standardized approach developed by the European Commission to measure and communicate products’ environmental footprint throughout their lifecycle. It ensures consistent environmental claims across the EU, enabling brands to compare their products fairly and transparently.

Where does it start? With The Environmental Footprint (EF)

The Environmental Footprint, or EF, is a method developed to help companies compare and improve their environmental impact. It provides a common set of rules tailored for the European market. They are called the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR).

The PEFCR provide specific guidelines for calculating product impacts, covering 16 environmental categories such as climate change, resource use, and water consumption.

Why Is PEF Important for the Outdoor Industry?

For outdoor brands, sustainability is more than a trend—it’s a core value. The PEF methodology offers a standardized, EU-approved way to assess and reduce Scope 3 emissions, which often make up the majority of a brand’s environmental impact. By using PEF, brands can evaluate sourcing choices, material selection, and production processes to drive sustainability.

Key Benefits of PEF for (not just) Outdoor Brands:

* Standardization: PEF provides a consistent method for comparing products across sectors.

* Regulatory Compliance: As EU regulations on environmental claims tighten, PEF ensures compliance.

* Holistic Approach: The methodology covers the full product lifecycle, from raw materials to end-of-life.

* Consumer Trust: With data-backed assessments, PEF builds consumer confidence in your environmental claims.

Comprehensive Coverage for Environmental Impact

The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method offers a standardized approach to measuring a product’s environmental impact across its entire life cycle, aligning with ISO standards 14040 and 14044. It’s a comprehensive way to understand the full environmental impact of a product, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal.

PEF follows the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR), which provide detailed guidelines for specific industries. For example, the PEFCR for Apparel & Footwear v2.0 covers the entire product lifecycle for this sector. PEF uses EF Mid-point Indicator 3.1 for impact assessment, which acts like “checkpoints” for environmental impacts, such as resource use and pollution, before assessing the overall harm to health or the planet. These indicators help brands identify the stages in their product’s lifecycle—like production, transportation, or disposal—that have the most significant environmental impacts.

To ensure fair comparisons and consistency, PEF uses European weighting and normalization factors, allowing it to be applied broadly across different sectors and products, while incorporating 16 distinct environmental impact indicators.

Leveraging Over 5,500 Datasets for Detailed Environmental Impact Analysis

PEF is powered by an extensive database of over 5,500 datasets from sources like Ecoinvent, Blonk, and Thinkstep, providing detailed, diverse data for accurate impact analysis. Additional databases offer further enrichment to results, enabling brands to fine-tune their assessments based on specific materials or processes.

The Importance of Product Lifespan in Calculating PEF Scores

The PEF Score reflects the total environmental footprint of a product over its expected lifespan. For instance, if you have a pair of shoes designed to last a year, the PEF will calculate the environmental impact based on that full year of use. Longer-lasting products will generally have a lower impact per day because the environmental cost is spread over a more extended period.

Conclusion: The Importance of PEF for Outdoor Brands – Stay Tuned for Part 2 on Lifecycle Analysis and Long-term Sustainability

The PEF methodology offers a powerful, standardized framework for outdoor brands to measure, reduce, and communicate their environmental impact. By using PEF, companies can ensure compliance with EU regulations, build consumer trust, and take a holistic approach to sustainability. From sourcing raw materials to managing end-of-life disposal, the PEF methodology provides a consistent way to evaluate and improve a product’s environmental footprint across its entire lifecycle.

In Part 2, we’ll dive deeper into the lifecycle analysis process. We’ll explore how PEF helps track long-term environmental progress, and look at a real-world example of PEF in action. Stay tuned to see how this methodology can drive even greater sustainability for your brand.

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Durability in Fashion: From Regulation to Innovation

The Durability Challenge: Embracing Sustainable Practices for Fashion Brands and Consumers

What challenges are brands facing? What are the solutions for making collections sustainable? How can brands and consumers act in favor of sustainability? Discover the answers in this article.

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