EU Officially Approves PEFCR Version 3.1 for Apparel and Footwear

SG 088/25

On May 14, 2025, the European Union officially approved the final version of the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for apparel and footwear.

The PEFCR Version 3.1 comprises standardized rules designed to guide how companies measure and communicate the environmental impact of their products. These rules are part of the product environmental footprint (PEF), a methodology for life-cycle assessments (LCA), and are supported by the Environmental Footprint (EF) 3.1 database developed by the European Commission.

The new PEFCR introduces a unified, science-based methodology for assessing product environmental impacts. It establishes a common language for brands, suppliers, and auditors to comply with the upcoming EU Green Claims Directive and Eco-design regulations. Under these rules, brands will be required to use more accurate data and adhere to stricter standards when making environmental claims or meeting regulatory requirements. For the apparel and footwear industry, the PEFCR provides a harmonized approach to evaluating and minimizing environmental impacts throughout a product’s life cycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life, ensuring assessments are consistent, credible and comparable across the EU.

Key elements in PEFCR v3.1 for apparel and footwear:

• Scope: Covers 13 product categories (e.g. t-shirts, dresses, boots, swimwear) with tailored rules
• New metrics: Incorporates recycled content, durability, and repairability to support circular design and extend product lifespan
• Circular footprint formula (CFF): Updated to provide more consistent and accurate calculations of end-of-life impacts and recycled content
• Fiber fragment impact module: Evaluates the environmental impact of fiber fragment release (e.g. microplastics) during garment care activities such as washing and drying
• Stricter data requirements: Brands are required to provide more primary (company-specific) data, such as detailed bill of materials (BOM) and distribution methods, to ensure accurate and transparent environmental assessments
• New guidance on using proxies (secondary data): Provides clearer rules for using proxies under specific conditions when primary data is not available, to ensure reliable data sources are utilized
• Limits on product comparisons: Introduces restrictions on product comparisons to ensure that they are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

Aligning with the PEFCR enables businesses to stay ahead of evolving EU sustainability regulations and reporting requirements. It also enables companies to differentiate themselves in the market by using credible environmental data to support sustainability claims. By identifying environmental hotspots, key life cycle stages with the greatest impact, companies can implement targeted strategies to reduce those impacts, optimize resources, improve supply chains, and reduce waste, resulting in both environmental and cost benefits.

SGS provides a wide range of services, such as life cycle assessment (LCA), microplastics analysis and product durability testing, which are designed to help businesses and organizations evaluate and improve their environmental impact and product performance. These services enable clients to advance their sustainability initiatives, ensure compliance with environmental regulations, and demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental responsibility.

Reference: Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR)

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