The Technical Secretariat (TS) was the guiding body that developed the PEF Category Rules (PEFCR) for the apparel and footwear industry. It consisted of various stakeholders, including brands representing about 50% of the European market’s turnover, representatives from the fibre and textile sectors, NGOs, scientific experts, and governments, to include a variety of considerations in the decision-making process.
From December 2019 until April 2025, the Technical Secretariat developed robust, science-based calculation rules detailing the PEF methodology for
13 apparel and footwear product subcategories.
The TS was observed by the European Commission, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and the Dutch Ministry of Intrastructure and Water Management
The PEFCR was opened for two public consultations
The PEFCR underwent numerous independent expert reviews
Independent experts also reviewed 39 supporting studies
Decisions were mainly taken by consensus, and voting sessions organised when necessary
In April 2025, the TS approved the final PEFCR with a qualified majority
The apparel and footwear project was selected by the European Commission and the TS established
Technical Secretariat kick-off
1st public consultation: 996 comments were integrated and/or answered
Testing phase of the PEFCR on real products by companies
2nd public consultation: 5’119 comments were integrated and/or answered
The Technical Advisory Board (TAB) and the EU sub-group (EU Member States) gave recommendations to the European Commission on the apparel and footwear PEFCR
The TS voted to approve the final apparel and footwear PEFCR, concluding five years of work
The European Commission gave the green light on the apparel and footwear PEFCR, which can now be used for compliance with EU legislation requiring an assessment of products’ environmental footprints
The European Commission will adopt a new recommendation on the use of EF methods and begin the release of a new EF database generation: the EF 4.0, starting a new PEFCR update cycle affecting the PEFCR apparel and footwear
The apparel & footwear project is selected by the European Commission and the Technical Secretariat is established
Technical Secretariat kick-off
Technical Secretariat kick-off
Technical Secretariat kick-off
2nd public consultation
The Technical Advisory Board (TAB) and the EU sub-group (EU Member States) give recommendations to the European Commission on the apparel & footwear PEFCR
The European Commission adopts the apparel & footwear PEFCR, which can be used for future legislation. Brands and the industry would have to use this common framework to assess the environmental footprint of their products
Use the PEFCR and inform yourself about its application. If you have questions, you can contact us directly here
Share what is behind the apparel and footwear PEFCR methodology and highlight the added value for the industry.
Make informed purchasing decisions and continue to encourage brands to increase their transparency