Product communication has the objective of presenting the performances, manufacturing methods and use of a product or service and highlighting the benefits that the user may gain from it.

Product communication corresponds to all of the communication actions put in place to promote a product among potential customers. Product communication supports are numerous: packaging, labels, shop displays, website, …

Product communication can therefore constitute a channel to promote the environmental performances of products with consumers.

Labelling has a dual benefit: firstly, it raises awareness among consumers with respect to responsible consumerism with the help of a grade - A, B, C, D or E - secondly, it encourages brands to put in place sustainable production by encouraging them to improve the environmental performances of their products.

Since 2009, following the Grenelle de l’Environnement, numerous projects (French and European) have been put in place to progressively and massively introduce environmental labelling on textile products and footwear. Companies have already experimented with product labelling with experiments being the focus of reports in order to learn from these pilot stages. To consult the reports compiled in partnership with the ADEME (French Energy Transition Agency):

• Projet de pré-déploiement de l’affichage environnemental dans le secteur de l’habillement (Environmental labelling pre-deployment project in the clothing sector)– Decathlon & Affichage Environnemental & Affichage Environnemental Decathlon Développement Durable

• Projet de pré-déploiement de l’affichage environnemental dans le secteur de l’habillement (Environmental labelling pre-deployment project in the clothing sector)– Okaidi

• Projet de pré-déploiement de l’affichage environnemental dans le secteur de l’habillement (Environmental labelling pre-deployment project in the clothing sector)– Les Tissages de Charlieu

In the textile clothing, household linen and footwear sector, numerous labels are affixed to products to promote their characteristics with consumers.

Certain labels certify the environmental and social quality of products according to various criteria such as organic farming, the limitation or prohibition of chemical substances (toxicity) or social criteria such as fair trade for example. Every label corresponds to precise specifications whose requirements must be respected in order to affix the label to the product./span>

Although labels are distinguishable thanks to their name or logo, it is sometimes difficult to negotiate the "label jungle". Marketers and consumers are often at a loss with respect to labels, which constitutes a significant brake to their appropriation.

Despite this, labelling offers uncontested proof of the supplier's or marketer's commitment and is gaining ground in the choices made by end consumers. Below is a summary setting out some of the label requirement criteria most frequently encountered.

Download the comparative table of labels

Compare with Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber & Materials Matrix  and Standards Maps

Sources :

• Environmental labels- ADEME
• Understanding the multitude of labels - Public Eye
• Oeko-Tex
• Global Recycled Standard - Textile Exchange
• Better Cotton Initiative