The full picture of Refashion bonuses and what could block them

Refashion is France’s producer responsibility organisation for clothing, household linen and footwear. Its eco-modulation framework incentivises companies putting products on the French market to improve product sustainability through bonuses linked to France’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme.

To be eligible for a bonus, a brand or retailer will need to demonstrate that a product reference meets the applicable criteria through testing and supporting evidence. Refashion durability testing can therefore help a business substantiate its eligibility for a bonus and recover money.

There are three ways to earn a Refashion bonus: durability, environmental certification and recycled raw materials. These bonuses can stack on the same product reference where the applicable scheme rules permit, but each must be supported by its own pre-declaration and evidence. There are also two penalty risks that can block any Refashion bonus: metalloplastic fibres and embedded electrical or electronic components.

One penalty. No bonus. No exceptions

Avoiding penalties is just as important as pursuing bonuses. Under the Refashion eco-modulation rules, a product subject to a penalty cannot receive a bonus. It removes bonus eligibility for a product reference entirely.

The Refashion durability bonus

The Refashion durability programme covers 11 categories, including tops, bottoms, intimates, socks, outerwear, bath linen, bed linen, table linen, and three footwear categories.

It includes some particularly important distinctions:

• Knitted vs woven products: Refashion’s dimensional-stability criteria distinguish between knit and woven constructions.
• Swimwear is treated differently: Refashion for swimwear introduces criteria that are not normally relevant for apparel.
• Socks have abrasion requirements: Refashion assessments target the heel and sole, with specific distinctions on the intended use of the product (i.e., everyday use versus athletic).
• Intimates have construction-specific tests: Refashion criteria include bursting strength, seam slippage, and elasticity.
• Bed linen has washing or abrasion requirements: Refashion framework emphasises dimensional stability after washing, Martindale abrasion, appearance after washing, and colour fastness.

The role of testing to turn durability into evidence

Refashion-aligned durability testing and evidence from a laboratory accredited for the relevant tests help support the bonus pathway.

Brands and retailers should select references using a risk-based and volume-based approach rather than a purely random or pass-oriented selection. Our dedicated Refashion experts recommend balancing business impact, product representativeness, technical risk and the likelihood of passing the required criteria.

How we help businesses fulfill Refashion durability bonus requirements?

Our role is not limited to performing durability tests. We help brands and retailers build an efficient, risk-based reference selection strategy, identify potential weaknesses before testing, perform the applicable durability assessment, analyse failures and support corrective actions. This enables our customers to optimise their testing investment while building robust evidence for the Refashion durability bonus. View our durability testing capabilities >

We have been helping brands and retailers earn the Refashion durability bonus since the beginning. Contact us to receive dedicated support for Refashion durability testing and earn your ReFashion bonus.

Refashion environmental certification and recycled raw materials bonuses

Whether an environmental certification supports a Refashion bonus depends on the certification held and how it applies to the product reference. According to Refashion, to be eligible for an environmental certification bonus, the finished product must be certified by a Global Certification Programme. The critical distinction is that the finished product must be certified. Additionally, environmental certification label bonuses are not cumulative.

The recycled raw materials Refashion bonus rewards brands and retailers who incorporate eligible recycled raw materials into products. Refashion specifies that recycled material must come from an eligible waste stream and satisfy specific traceability and recycling-chain conditions. This involves two routes:

1. TLC post-consumer: Recycled material from post-consumer textile, clothing, linen, or footwear waste collected or supported by an approved eco-organisation
2. Open-loop recycling: Recycled material from another eligible waste stream collected or supported by an approved eco-organisation, excluding food-grade plastic resin

Every Refashion bonus claim needs evidence

For the environmental certification Refashion bonus, businesses should consider the full evidence chain. Refashion requires the finished product to be covered by a recognised label, with documentation allowing the product reference to be linked to the certification.

For the recycled raw materials Refashion bonus, businesses should be able to demonstrate evidence across five proof areas:

1. Recycled-content declaration
2. Origin of the waste
3. Recycling-chain traceability
4. Recycling facility evidence
5. Finished product linkage

The key is to demonstrate not only that a finished product contains recycled materials, but that the recycled feedstock itself is eligible and traceable through the required recycling chain.

How we support earning environmental certification and recycled raw materials Refashion bonuses?

The pathways to these bonuses are more complex than durability. These bonus pathways involve different certification and traceability requirements from durability testing. We offer relevant environmental certification services and help brands verify the eligibility of recycled feedstock, assess the recycling chain, trace recycled materials into finished products and quantify potential Refashion bonuses.

What can block a Refashion bonus?

A product subject to a penalty cannot receive a bonus. Refashion penalties relate to the use of metalloplastic fibres and embedded electrical or electronic components in a product. Separately, gaps in testing, certification, supply-chain traceability, quantification or documentation may prevent a business from demonstrating bonus eligibility. A penalty can increase costs and remove eligibility for applicable eco-modulation bonuses. Because of this, our Refashion experts recommend checking for penalties before you pursue bonuses.

How we help businesses identify and avoid penalty risks?

We help brands and retailers identify penalty risks early, before products are finalised or declared:

• BOM & product review
• Component screening
• Supplier documentation review
• Design-stage support
• Portfolio screening
• Bonus/penalty optimisation

Why top brands and retailers rely on Eurofins Sustainability Services for Refashion bonus support?

Eurofins Sustainability Services offers a range of capabilities for businesses looking to maximise their potential Refashion bonuses.

• Refashion expertise: Our dedicated experts stay connected to Refashion requirements and have been supporting businesses with this since the beginning.
• One partner across multiple pathways: Support covering durability, environmental labels, recycled materials, and penalty-risk assessment.
• Technical + sustainability expertise: Combine product testing, material knowledge, certification review and sustainability requirements.
  
• Portfolio-level approach: Assess references strategically rather than treating each product in isolation.
  
• Evidence & documentation support: Help brands identify gaps and organise the information needed to substantiate eligibility.
• Supply-chain perspective: Review relevant supplier and material information to strengthen traceability and data quality.
• Risk-based prioritisation: Identify potential bonus opportunities and penalty exposure early, helping brands focus resources where they matter most.
• From assessment to action: Translate findings into practical recommendations, testing plans and corrective actions.

We combine technical expertise, sustainability knowledge, and portfolio-level analysis to help brands navigate Refashion requirements, make informed product decisions, and maximise bonuses.

Contact us to get started for testing to Refashion bonus and eco-modulation assessment >

Related resources to help you understand Refashion and eco-modulation more

• [Webinar] Refashion and Eco-modulation 2026: Understanding bonus pathways beyond durability and what can block it 
• [Article] France’s Refashion durability bonus: How laboratory testing and supporting documentation help businesses earn financial bonuses
• [Article] How to prepare for EU Textile EPR: France’s Refashion, testing, and traceability
• [Article] EU Textile EPR explained: What brands and manufacturers need to prepare