OUR COMMITMENTS

A Responsible, Practical and Progressive Approach

Designing high-performance protective equipment while taking environmental and social impacts into account: a responsibility that guides our development.

At FRANCITAL ENVIRONNEMENT, we recognise that our activities have an impact on the environment, our employees, our suppliers and the communities in which we operate.

Our responsibility is to identify these impacts, seek opportunities for improvement and progressively integrate sustainability principles into our decisions.

We favour a pragmatic approach based on concrete actions, continuous improvement objectives and close cooperation with our industrial partners.

Our ambition is not to claim that protection comes without environmental impact, but to continuously improve our practices while maintaining our primary commitment: user safety.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility Approach Assessed by EcoVadis

In 2026, FRANCITAL ENVIRONNEMENT was awarded the EcoVadis Silver Medal, achieving a score of 73/100 and ranking among the top 15% of companies assessed under the EcoVadis methodology.

The assessment covers four main areas:

  • Environment.

  • Labour and human rights.

  • Ethics.

  • Sustainable procurement.

This recognition reflects the progress made in structuring our corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach and encourages us to continue improving.

It represents a milestone in our journey, not an end in itself.

Quality at the Heart of Our Organisation

FRANCITAL ENVIRONNEMENT has maintained an ISO 9001-certified quality management system since 2013.

This system is based on process control, supplier assessment, non-conformity management and continuous improvement.

Quality, traceability and equipment reliability are inseparable from our responsibility towards the professionals who use our products.

Eco-Design: Taking Action from the Product Development Stage

The environmental impact of a garment is not limited to its manufacture. It also depends on the materials used, industrial processes, transport, maintenance, service life and end-of-life management.

This is why we are progressively integrating eco-design principles into our product development processes.

Our approach focuses on several areas:

  • Favouring recycled materials or materials with documented environmental characteristics whenever technically appropriate.

  • Exploring textile treatments that reduce the use of certain substances of concern.

  • Optimising material consumption during design and manufacturing.

  • Encouraging local and regional sourcing whenever possible.

  • Reducing and adapting packaging.

  • Improving transport and logistics organisation.

  • Designing durable equipment suited to intensive professional use.

  • Promoting appropriate maintenance to preserve performance and extend service life.

  • Exploring repair, recovery and end-of-life treatment solutions.

These measures are implemented progressively, taking into account the technical, economic and regulatory requirements specific to personal protective equipment.

GREEN IMPACT — Highlighting Our Eco-Design Initiatives

Through GREEN IMPACT, FRANCITAL ENVIRONNEMENT highlights products incorporating identified and documented eco-design characteristics.

These may include the use of recycled materials, the selection of specific textile treatments or other design choices intended to reduce certain environmental impacts.

The relevant characteristics are assessed at product and material level.

GREEN IMPACT does not mean that a product is free from environmental impact. It identifies specific design choices as part of an ongoing improvement process.

Our priority remains to combine these developments with the protection performance, durability and comfort expected by professionals.

Controlled Sourcing and Enhanced Traceability

Being part of the French textile group SOPATEX is an advantage in developing a responsible sourcing approach.

We favour long-term relationships with our industrial partners and rely extensively on French and European textile expertise.

This industrial proximity facilitates technical cooperation, material monitoring and the identification of issues associated with manufacturing processes.

Our approach includes:

Component Traceability

We seek to improve our knowledge of the origin and characteristics of the materials used in our equipment.

Supplier Assessment

We incorporate quality, regulatory compliance and responsibility criteria into our relationships with industrial partners.

Chemical Substance Management

We monitor compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, particularly the European REACH Regulation.

Material Safety

We favour materials supported by documented assurances, such as OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification where available, or other appropriate compliance documentation.

These measures contribute to better control of our supply chain.

Technical Choices That Preserve Safety

In the field of protective equipment, eco-design must respect one essential requirement: environmental improvements must never compromise the expected safety performance.

Replacing a material, treatment or component therefore requires an assessment of its effects on resistance, comfort, durability and, where applicable, the regulatory compliance of the equipment.

This requirement guides our research into new textile solutions.

Extending Equipment Service Life

The service life of a garment is an important consideration when assessing its environmental impact.

Appropriate maintenance helps preserve its characteristics and avoid premature replacement.

We encourage users to follow the instructions provided on product labels and in user information, particularly regarding washing, drying, storage and inspection.

Several good practices can help limit the impacts associated with garment care:

  • Adjust washing frequency to actual working conditions and hygiene requirements.

  • Follow recommended washing temperatures and programmes.

  • Avoid products or treatments that could affect technical performance.

  • Regularly inspect the condition of garments.

  • Repair equipment only when technically possible and permitted by its instructions for use.

For PPE, safety always comes first: equipment that is damaged or has lost its protective performance must not remain in use.

End-of-Life Management: A Challenge for Technical Textiles

Recycling technical garments presents particular challenges.

The combination of different fibres, membranes, protective layers and components makes separation and material recovery more complex.

This is especially true for personal protective equipment, whose composition is determined by demanding safety requirements.

Collection and treatment options depend on the nature and condition of the product, as well as the available recycling and waste-management systems.

We monitor technical and regulatory developments to identify solutions suited to the specific characteristics of our equipment.

Finding appropriate end-of-life solutions remains part of our long-term approach.

A Shared Responsibility with Our Partners

Our sustainability approach cannot be developed in isolation.

It relies on the commitment of our employees, dialogue with our suppliers, customer expectations and cooperation with our industrial partners.

We aim to continue this process while balancing our economic, social and environmental responsibilities.

Progress, measure, improve: this is how we approach responsible development at FRANCITAL ENVIRONNEMENT.

FRANCITAL ENVIRONNEMENT — Protecting Professionals, Improving Our Practices.