Complete Guide to the 2026 Refashion Declaration

Every brand that places clothing, household linen, or footwear on the French market is legally required to submit an annual declaration to Refashion and pay the corresponding eco-contribution. The 2026 declaration covers products placed on the market during the 2025 calendar year.

This guide walks through the entire process, from registration to payment, so you know exactly what to expect.

Step 1: Register with Refashion

Before you can declare, you must be registered with Refashion as a contributor. Registration is done through the Refashion extranet portal. You will need your company details (SIRET number for French entities, or equivalent registration for foreign companies), the name of the person responsible for the declaration, and details about the types of products you place on the market.

If you are a non-French brand selling into France through e-commerce or distribution, you still need to register. The EPR obligation applies to the entity that first places the product on the French market.

Step 2: Gather your product data

The most time-consuming part of the declaration is preparing your product data. You need to know exactly how many items of each product line you placed on the French market during the declaration year.

For the detailed declaration, this means mapping each SKU or product in your catalog to a Refashion product line code. There are over 80 product lines, organised by category (clothing, household linen, footwear) and section (Baby, Children, Women, Men, Unisex).

• Audit your product catalog against the Refashion product line list.
• Count the total units placed on the French market per product line for the calendar year.
• Identify products eligible for eco-modulation bonuses (durability, environmental labels, recycled materials).
• Flag any products with malus criteria (metalloplastic fibers, electronic components).
• If using the simplified declaration (under 5,000 items/year), simply tally totals per category.

Step 3: Choose your declaration mode

If you place 5,000 or more items per year on the French market, you must use the detailed declaration. This requires specifying quantities per product line but also qualifies you for eco-modulation bonuses.

If you place fewer than 5,000 items per year, you can opt for the simplified declaration at flat rates per category. This is simpler to prepare but does not allow eco-modulation adjustments.

Step 4: Submit during the declaration window

The declaration window for the 2026 cycle opens on January 14 and closes on February 28. Submit your declaration through the Refashion extranet portal.

You will enter your product quantities (either by product line or by category, depending on your declaration mode), select any applicable eco-modulation criteria, and review the calculated contribution before confirming.

Step 5: Pay by March 31

Once your declaration is confirmed, Refashion will issue an invoice for the total eco-contribution amount plus the €30 administrative fee. Payment is due by March 31.

Payment methods and terms are specified on the Refashion portal. Late payments may incur additional fees.

Common mistakes to avoid

Based on common issues reported by brands going through the declaration process, here are pitfalls to watch for.

• Miscategorising products — A dress categorised as a T-shirt will have the wrong rate applied. Take time to map accurately.
• Forgetting e-commerce sales — If your brand ships directly to French consumers from outside France, those units count.
• Missing the deadline — The February 28 cutoff is firm. Late declarations can trigger the €30,000 non-compliance fine.
• Not claiming eco-modulation bonuses — If you qualify for durability or recycled material bonuses, using the detailed declaration saves money.
• Counting returns incorrectly — Only count items that were placed on the market (i.e., sold or made available), not items returned by customers.

Planning ahead

The best time to start preparing for your declaration is well before January. Build the product line mapping into your product catalog management process. Track units placed on the French market throughout the year, rather than scrambling to compile data in January.

Supply chain compliance platforms like N.E.X.A Loop are designed to help brands maintain this data year-round, so the annual declaration becomes a confirmation rather than a research project.