The French government's Ecobalyse API calculates the environmental cost of textile products. Here's what it measures, what data it needs, and how Passportly automates the entire process.
Ecobalyse is an open-source tool and API built by the French government (ADEME / Ministry for Ecological Transition) to calculate the environmental impact of consumer products. For textiles, it implements the methodology defined in French Decree 2025-957 for the Environmental Cost label.
The tool is available at ecobalyse.beta.gouv.fr and as a public API. It calculates a score based on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, adapted for the specific requirements of the French Environmental Cost regulation.
The score covers 16 environmental impact categories, including climate change, water use, eutrophication, particulate matter, and resource depletion. These are weighted and aggregated into a single environmental cost score expressed in points.
Environmental impact of growing or producing the fibres — cotton farming, synthetic polymer production, animal fibre sourcing. Organic vs conventional makes a significant difference.
Energy and water consumed in converting raw fibres into yarn. The country of production matters — energy grids vary significantly in carbon intensity.
Knitting or weaving the yarn into fabric. Production method and country affect the score.
Chemical and water-intensive processes. The dyeing country and method (batch vs continuous, GOTS-certified vs conventional) influence the calculation.
Cutting and sewing. Relatively low impact compared to upstream processes, but still factored in.
Estimated based on manufacturing countries and the distance to the French market. Sea freight vs air freight makes a large difference.
Washing and drying over the product's expected lifetime. A product washed 100 times at 60°C has a higher use-phase impact than one washed 30 times at 30°C.
Disposal, recycling, or incineration. The methodology uses French average end-of-life scenarios for textiles.
To calculate a score, the Ecobalyse API requires these inputs. The more specific your data, the more accurate your score. Where data is missing, Ecobalyse uses worst-case default assumptions — which is exactly what you want to avoid.
| Input | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Product category | Determines the reference product and lifecycle parameters | T-shirt, trousers, jacket |
| Fibre composition | Different fibres have vastly different environmental footprints | 95% organic cotton, 5% elastane |
| Product weight | Heavier products use more material and energy | 180 grams |
| Manufacturing countries | Energy grid carbon intensity varies by country | India (spinning), Portugal (dyeing, sewing) |
| Recycled content | Recycled fibres have lower upstream impacts | 30% recycled polyester |
| Certifications | GOTS, OEKO-TEX can affect certain impact categories | GOTS certified |
When Ecobalyse doesn't have specific data for a parameter, it uses worst-case default assumptions. For example:
The result: your product gets a worse score than it deserves. And from October 2026, if you haven't calculated your own score, third parties can publish one for you using these worst-case defaults.
Providing accurate data isn't just about compliance — it's about ensuring your products get the environmental score they've earned.
Enter materials, manufacturing countries, and product details in the guided questionnaire. This is the same data your DPP needs.
Passportly maps your data to the Ecobalyse input format and calls the official API. The score is calculated in seconds.
Your score with impact category breakdown appears on your dashboard. Optionally display it on your DPP page and in your online store.
Start free. Enter your product data in the guided questionnaire and get your French Environmental Cost score automatically via the official Ecobalyse API.