How to understand the eco score ?
Let's dive into the details of the Eco Score and discover how it helps assess the environmental impact of our products.
2.1 How did we set up the Eco Score?
To evaluate our products, we use Ecobalyse, a tool developed by the French Ministry of Environment. This platform calculates an Eco Score for textile products, largely based on the European criteria of the Product Environmental Footprint method. Although the tool is still under consultation, it already provides a reliable estimate that complies with the requirements of French legislation.
2.2 How Ecobalyse works
The Ecobalyse platform is easy to use. We enter all the information related to our products, such as the materials, their origin, and the way the product's threads are woven. This step requires transparent communication with our suppliers to accurately fill out Ecobalyse with information such as the materials, their origin and processing, and the assembly method used.
Once the data is entered, we obtain an overall score that we need to interpret. Indeed, this score has no maximum, which means we don't know how we are rated. We therefore use the reference products offered by Ecobalyse to position ourselves. For example, a "synthetic t-shirt (150g) Asia ultra fashion" obtains a score of 1510 points. In comparison, our Altitude jersey has a score of 510 points, three times less.
2.3 Why is the tool not perfect?
We still need to improve the accuracy of our eco scores by staying true to Ecobalyse and following the platform's improvements. It would also be relevant to collaborate with the Ecobalyse development teams to anticipate and prepare together for the period when the Eco score will become mandatory. For example, Ecobalyse does not yet offer all the raw materials available on the market, nor a clear rating system such as that available for nutri-scores (ABCDE). In addition, some categories remain missing or imprecise, which does not allow us to evaluate certain products such as our bib shorts. Indeed, evaluating them would have been too imprecise given that they do not fit into any of the references offered by Ecobalyse.
