European Commission Approves PEF Rules for Textiles and Apparel

The European Commission has given the go-ahead to the much-awaited Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for apparel and footwear. What this means is that Europe now has a standard methodology to calculate product environmental footprints, with specific category requirements for apparel and footwear.

• The PEFCR will allow brands of all sizes to calculate simple cradle-to-grave lifecycle scores for products and identify hotspots for impact reduction.
• It provides a common, science-based reference that will support the betterment of product footprint in the apparel and footwear sector, support compliance with multiple EU legislations and foster collaboration.

The PEF methodology supports the objectives of the European Green Deal initiated by the European Commission, which aims to establish more sustainable growth, transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, ensuring:

• no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050
• economic growth decoupled from resource use
• no person and no place left behind

PEF METHODOLOGY: PEF leverages the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, a scientifically validated methodology for measuring environmental impacts at each stage of a product’s life.

The LCA approach is based on four factors:

1. Metrics-based approach: It allows impact evaluations and/or comparisons to be made on a quantified and credible scientific basis.
2. Life cycle focus: It considers all stages of a product life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the production, transport, sale, use (including the item’s durability), and its end of life.
3. Multi-indicator evaluation: 16 environmental indicators are considered to comprehensively evaluate environmental impacts, including climate change, water, land use, and human health. The PEFCR for Apparel and Footwear also integrates a partial life cycle assessment of the impacts of fibre fragments, including microplastics.
4. Internationally validated: It is based on globally accepted International Organizations for Standardization (ISO) standards, e.g. 14040 and 14044, and has been the recommended methodology by the European Commission since 2013. The method has also been referenced in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, and the drafted Green Claims Directive.

Concluding five years of intense work, the PEF methodology offers a science-based, standardised framework to help the entire industry speak the same language when discussing environmental impacts.

• It ensures consistency and comparability for product environmental footprints by enabling the industry to evaluate products’ environmental impacts using harmonised calculation rules.
• It is comprehensive, evaluating products along 16 environmental indicators to better understand the hotspots and opportunities for improving the environmental impacts of products.
• Ultimately, it improves decision-making for all.

Using a standardised science-based approach provides clarity.

1. Companies can measure, understand, and improve the environmental impacts of their products.
2. When displayed, consumerscan make more informed choices.

The PEFCR creates five benefits for the industry:

1. Specific rules: Defines specific rules tailored to 13 apparel & footwear categories such as t-shirts, dresses, boots, swimwear, etc.
2. Comparability: Increases the consistency and comparabilityof the environmental impact of two items
3. Cost optimisation: Reduces cost, time, and improves accessibility for SMEsby having one standardised set of calculation rules with pre-defined, validated assumptions
4. Eco-design: Informs and encourages eco-design approaches by focusing innovation efforts on identified areas of improvement, and by including durability and repairability metrics
5. Common framework: Ultimately, this ensures all brands follow a common framework to calculate environmental impacts and share the same understanding of results.