Textiles sold online in France: composition, place of manufacture next to the price and environmental labelling

1. Fibre composition on the product page

When a textile product is made available on the market, its fibre composition is indicated in an easily legible, visible and clear manner, in uniform characters. This information is clearly visible to the consumer before the purchase, including where the purchase is made by electronic means. Reg. (EU) 1007/2011, Art. 16

• Only the names listed in Annex I: “coton” (cotton), “polyester”, “élasthanne” (elastane), and not a trade name for a fibre. Art. 5
• All fibres, as a percentage by weight, in descending order. Fibres accounting for up to 5% each, or 15% in total, may be grouped as “autres fibres” (other fibres) if they cannot easily be stated. Art. 9
• “100%”, “pur” (pure) or “tout” (all) are reserved for products made of a single fibre, with a tolerance of 2% of extraneous fibres that are technically unavoidable. Art. 7
• Several components (lining, main body): the composition of each one. A component that is not a main lining and weighs less than 30% of the product may be left out. Art. 11
• Non-textile parts of animal origin (leather or fur, for example): the phrase “Contient des parties non textiles d'origine animale” (contains non-textile parts of animal origin). Art. 12
• In French, the official language of the State where the product is sold. Art. 16(3)

Example block: “Composition: 60% coton, 38% polyester, 2% élasthanne. Doublure: 100% polyester.” (“Doublure” means lining; the fibre names are cotton, polyester and elastane.) The brand may come before or after the composition, but other information appears separately. Art. 16(2)

The retailer is not exempt from the rule: it ensures that the product bears the prescribed labelling, and it is treated as the manufacturer if it sells under its own brand. Art. 15 In France, these articles are implementing measures of Article L. 412-1 of the French Consumer Code (Code de la consommation, abbreviated “C. conso”). Breaching them is punishable by the fine for 5th-class petty offences (contraventions): €1,500 at most, €3,000 for a repeat offence, and five times these amounts for a company. C. conso R. 412-42 · R. 451-1 · C. pén. 131-13 · 131-41 The references “C. pén.” are to the French Criminal Code (Code pénal).

2. Places of manufacture next to the price

Law No. 2026-602 of 8 July 2026 aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry created this rule in the French Environmental Code (Code de l'environnement, abbreviated “C. env.”): Law No. 2026-602, Art. 2

“Les lieux de fabrication du produit mentionné au 11° de l'article L. 541-10-1 vendu en ligne doivent être portés à la connaissance du consommateur de manière claire et lisible sur la plateforme numérique, en caractères d'une taille égale à celle de l'indication du prix et à proximité de celui-ci.” (In English: “The places of manufacture of the product referred to in 11° of Article L. 541-10-1 sold online must be brought to the consumer's attention clearly and legibly on the digital platform, in characters of a size equal to that of the price indication and close to it.”) C. env. L. 541-9-1-2

• Products covered. New clothing textiles, footwear and household linen intended for private individuals, as well as new textiles for the home, excluding furniture items. C. env. L. 541-10-1, 11°
• Date. The law was published in the Journal officiel (the French Official Journal) of 9 July 2026. The article sets no date of its own and refers to no decree: under the French Civil Code (Code civil), it therefore applies from the following day, 10/07/2026. C. civ. 1
• Threshold. The text provides for no turnover threshold and no exception for small shops.

The law does not define “lieux de fabrication” (places of manufacture). A cautious approach uses the stages that the French Environmental Code already uses for textile traceability: the country of weaving, of dyeing and printing, and of making up, or for footwear, of stitching, assembly and finishing. C. env. R. 541-228, X According to the ministry, weaving includes knitting and nonwovens. AGEC FAQ, § 2.9.3

Example, on the same line as the price and in the same size: “39,90 € · Tissé en Inde, teint au Portugal, confectionné au Portugal” (the price, then “woven in India, dyed in Portugal, made up in Portugal”). To avoid: the information in a collapsed “Détails” (details) tab, in small print under the description, or only on a photo of the label.

In the edition of the French Environmental Code consulted, no administrative fine expressly targets Article L. 541-9-1-2. However, a false or misleading indication of a product's origin is a misleading commercial practice. C. conso L. 121-2, 2° b

3. AGEC law: the product's environmental information sheet

Producers and importers inform consumers of the environmental qualities and characteristics of their products, visibly or accessibly at the time of purchase. C. env. L. 541-9-1 The obligation applies to those that declare more than €10 million in turnover on the products concerned and place at least 10,000 units on the market per year. C. env. R. 541-227 Any breach of this information obligation is liable to an administrative fine of up to €3,000 for an individual and €15,000 for a legal entity. C. env. L. 541-9-4-1

FAQ of the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition, version of 18/10/2023, § 1.1.1

A distributor that has a product manufactured and sells it under its own brand is a producer. A mere reseller is not subject to the obligation, even though the ministry encourages resellers to pass this information on. AGEC FAQ, § 1.1.1 and 1.2.5

For textiles, the sheet states in particular the share of recycled material (excluding leather items), recyclability, the countries of weaving, of dyeing and printing, and of making up, and the statement “rejette des microfibres plastiques dans l'environnement lors du lavage” (releases plastic microfibres into the environment when washed) above 50% synthetic fibres. C. env. R. 541-228 It is made available in digital form, on a dedicated website or web page containing a sheet entitled “fiche produit relative aux qualités et caractéristiques environnementales” (product sheet on environmental qualities and characteristics). C. env. R. 541-229 The statements “biodégradable” (biodegradable) and “respectueux de l'environnement” (environmentally friendly) are prohibited on products and packaging. C. env. R. 541-230

4. Environmental labelling for textiles: the environmental cost

Since 01/10/2025, brands may display the environmental cost (coût environnemental) of their clothing, expressed in impact points: the higher the number, the greater the impact. The scheme, provided for by décret (decree) No. 2025-957 and an arrêté (ministerial order) of 6 September 2025, remains voluntary. Service-Public, 12/09/2025 · ecologie.gouv.fr

• Prior declaration. Before any communication, the cost and its breakdown are published on a portal designated by ministerial order. C. env. D. 541-243 The ministry refers to the public Ecobalyse calculator to obtain the cost.
• Updates. At most once every three months. D. 541-243
• Resellers. Anyone may communicate the cost of a product reference, but until 01/10/2026 only if the manufacturer or importer has given its consent or has published it on the portal. D. 541-244
• Other scores. Anyone who voluntarily displays an environmental score on a textile product must also display the environmental cost. Until 01/10/2026, this obligation only applies if the manufacturer has calculated and communicated it. D. 541-245
• Size online. According to the ministry, the graphic representation is at least equivalent to the font size of the price figures. ecologie.gouv.fr
• Supporting evidence. The calculation data are kept available for inspectors. R. 541-246

Your action list

1. List your textile, footwear and household linen products, and obtain from your suppliers the exact composition and the countries of each manufacturing stage.
2. Add dedicated fields to your catalogue rather than free text in the description.
3. Display the full composition, with the regulatory names, on every product page.
4. Place the places of manufacture next to the price, in the same character size, on mobile as well as on desktop.
5. If you sell under your own brand, check your AGEC thresholds and publish the environmental sheet for each model.
6. Before displaying an environmental score, check the conditions for the environmental cost, in particular from 01/10/2026.
7. For a product assembled in several countries or a white-label product, have your statements validated by a lawyer.

To see where these rules sit among the other deadlines, read the 2026-2027 e-commerce compliance calendar and all our guides.