Clothing Manufacturers France:
Cut Compliance Prep From 6 Weeks to 5 Days

Importing clothing from China to France involves 5 steps.

1) Customs classification: identify your 10-digit HS code — typically 12% duty for most garments.

2) REACH compliance: your supplier must provide SVHC screening reports and OEKO-TEX certificates.

3) EPR registration: register with Refashion and obtain your UIN before market placement.

4) Customs documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, and ICS2 ENS declaration.

5) Transport: choose sea, air, or rail — we handle all logistics on DDP terms. See our logistics and delivery FAQ below for details.

The AGEC law (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy, 2020) imposes escalating obligations on entities placing textiles on the French market.

Since January 2023: mandatory Refashion registration and UIN.

Periodic declarations: quarterly if over 10,000 units/year, annually otherwise.

Eco-contribution: weight-based per the Refashion 2026 schedule, penalizing non-eco-designed products via bonus/malus.

From October 2026: Eco-Score display becomes progressively mandatory. Non-compliance risks fines up to €7,500 per product reference.

We provide pre-filled Refashion templates, weight/unit data, and Ecobalyse-ready files with every order.

Three steps:

1) Customs duties = CIF value × tariff rate — typically 12% for clothing (HS chapters 61–62).

2) Import VAT (20%) = (Customs value + duties) × 20%. Since 2022, Reverse Charge VAT (ATI) lets you declare VAT on your CA3 return without cash disbursement.

3) Ancillary costs: broker fees (€25–75), port storage, inland freight.

On DDP, we cover everything — you get one all-inclusive price.

The Refashion UIN process is free and fully digital.

Step 1: create an account at refashion.fr with your SIREN/SIRET.

Step 2: complete the membership form with product categories (TLC), distribution channels, and market volume estimates.

Step 3: sign the textile EPR agreement formalizing your declaration and eco-contribution obligations.

Step 4: receive your UIN within 2–5 business days.

Step 5: set up quarterly (>10,000 units/year) or annual declarations.

We support clients throughout and supply weight/unit data from our production system.

Three transport modes:

Sea FCL/LCL: Shenzhen Yantian to Le Havre or Marseille-Fos in 30–38 days — ideal for seasonal volumes, lowest cost.

Air express: Guangzhou/Shenzhen to Paris CDG in 5–8 days — urgent re-orders, trade show samples (Who's Next, Première Vision).

China-Europe rail: Chongqing/Chengdu to Duisburg then Paris/Lyon in 18–22 days — optimal cost/speed, 70% lower carbon than air.

Four pillars:

1) Request the audit: demand the most recent BSCI or SMETA 4-pillar report (under 2 years). It must cover labor, health/safety, environment, and business ethics.

2) Verify authenticity: check the Sedex DBID number on Sedex Advance.

3) Non-conformity review: examine NCs and the Corrective Action Plan with closure evidence. Zero NCs is a red flag.

4) Multi-tier mapping: beyond Tier-1, demand Tier 2/3+ supplier mapping for Duty of Vigilance (2017-399) and CSDDD (2024/1760).

All our sites are BSCI/SMETA audited — we share reports, CAPs, and multi-tier mapping before your first order.