The ECGT Directive and the Future of Environmental Claims in Textiles and Fashion

Consumer CompactSoftlinesJuly 07, 2026

EU Member States were required to transpose Directive (EU) 2024/825 on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (the ECGT Directive) into national law by March 27, 2026. The Directive’s measures will apply from September 27, 2026, marking a fundamental shift in how product-related claims are made and communicated across the EU market.

What is the ECGT Directive?

The ECGT Directive aims to empower consumers to make more informed and sustainable purchasing decisions. Its core objective is to prevent misleading environmental and social claims, commonly referred to as ‘greenwashing’. It will achieve this by ensuring that claims directed at consumers are clear, verifiable and substantiated by credible evidence.

The Directive applies to all products and services offered to consumers in the EU, regardless of whether they are manufactured or supplied inside or outside the Union. For brands, manufacturers and suppliers, the enforcement of the ECGT Directive represents a significant shift in compliance expectations, requiring a reassessment of how sustainability-related claims are developed, documented and communicated.

To achieve its objective, the ECGT Directive amends two existing pieces of EU consumer legislation: Directive 2005/29/EC on Unfair Commercial Practices (UCPD) and Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights (CRD). Together, these amendments establish a strengthened and more prescriptive regulatory framework governing the use of environmental and social claims in consumer-facing communications.

At its core, the Directive reflects a broader regulatory and market-wide transition away from vague or aspirational messaging and toward transparent, evidence-based and accountable communications that can withstand regulatory and consumer scrutiny.

Impact on clothing labeling schemes

The ECGT Directive treats all labels, symbols, certification marks and similar visual elements as environmental claims. As a result, sustainability labels are subject to enhanced requirements governing how certification criteria are defined, how compliance is verified and monitored and how relevant information is clearly and accurately communicated to consumers.

In parallel, the Directive reinforces expectations around the credibility, independence and transparency of certification schemes. The precise scope of any certification relied upon must be clearly defined, and the use of implied, vague or overstated benefits is expressly prohibited. Self-certification is no longer permitted, and sustainability labeling may only be used where it is based on a recognized certification scheme verified by an independent third party.

In practical terms, this means generic environmental claims such as ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’ or ‘climate neutral’ will be prohibited from September 27, 2026, unless they are supported by specific, verifiable and independently validated evidence that reflects the full scope and limitations of the certification being claimed.

bluepass labels

Since bluesign, an SGS company, helps manufacturers and suppliers communicate environmental claims to the market, our labeling systems fall within the scope of the ECGT Directive. This includes the new bluepass mark system, which replaces the bluesign® APPROVED and bluesign® PRODUCT designations with a single system that delivers three certification marks:

bluepass Consumer Product – for finished goods such as apparel, denim, home textiles and footwear
bluepass Article – for fabrics, accessories and trims
bluepass Chemical Product – for chemical products listed on the bluesign Finder

The bluepass system continues to rely on the bluesign Criteria and the established assessment process. Before a product can carry a bluepass mark, it is thoroughly evaluated by our experts across six key areas of responsibility:

Product stewardship
Resource productivity
Environmental protection
Occupational health and safety
Emergency preparedness
Social responsibility

Alignment with the ECGT Directive

Trust and transparency have long been central to the bluesign System. As regulatory expectations evolve under the ECGT Directive, we are ensuring that labeling and claim usage remain precise, clearly defined and fully aligned with regulatory requirements. This includes publicly accessible criteria, established and objective verification procedures, clear definition of certified claim scope and strict avoidance of any implication of broader or undefined environmental performance.

We are currently aligning our labeling and system framework with the ECGT Directive. This work includes:

Reviewing and refining certification marks and claim wording to ensure clarity and accurate consumer interpretation
Preparing updated guidance to help brands meet requirements around substantiation, transparency and scope
Strengthening internal governance and verification mechanisms in line with expectations for objective monitoring and organizational independence

The ECGT Directive requires compliance monitoring to be conducted by a competent and independent third party. To meet this requirement, we are currently enhancing our governance structure to meet this requirement, including steps toward ISO 17065 accreditation. While ISO 17065 accreditation is expected in 2026, we are, in the interim, strengthening procedural safeguards to ensure impartiality and robust verification.

At the same time, we are supporting clear and credible communication through updated guidance for brands. This guidance addresses appropriate referencing on products and in corporate communications, including scope-specific claims, consumer-accessible explanations, such as QR codes linked to accessible criteria and scope descriptions, and the use of disclaimers to prevent misinterpretation or overstatement.

The ECGT Directive marks a decisive shift toward substantiated, transparent and credible sustainability communication in the EU. We remain committed to supporting the industry by continuously strengthening our processes and helping ensure that environmental claims remain accurate, trustworthy and fully aligned with regulatory expectations.