Importing Leather Shoes from India to France: PFAS Ban, Refashion EPR and Labels (2026)
Updated: 18h
Yes, French brands can import leather shoes from India in 2026, but three French rules sit on top of EU customs. Leather shoes are inside France's PFAS ban since 1 January 2026, the importer must join the Refashion EPR scheme, and every pair needs Triman and Info-tri marking, plus AGEC product information above set size thresholds.
Key Takeaways
Updated October 2026: leather shoes are covered by France's PFAS ban (Law 2025-188 and Decree 2025-1376), in force since 1 January 2026.
Garments and accessories made entirely of leather are outside that ban; footwear of any material is inside it.
Shoes made before 1 January 2026 may be placed on the French market for 12 months, so the stock run-off ends with 2026.
The brand or importer that first places the shoes on the French market joins Refashion and pays the eco-contribution, not the Indian factory.
The Triman logo and Info-tri sorting instructions must appear together on the shoe or on its shoebox.
Which French rules apply to leather shoes imported from India?
Four French or EU rule sets matter once the shoes clear customs, and each one needs specific data or artwork from the factory. The table shows who is responsible and what to ask your Indian supplier for at the quotation stage.
Rule | Applies to leather shoes? | Who is responsible | What to ask the Indian factory |
|---|---|---|---|
PFAS ban (Law 2025-188) | Yes, since 1 Jan 2026 | Manufacturer or importer placing on the French market | Written confirmation of no intentionally added PFAS in finishes, waterproofing, linings, threads and laces |
Refashion EPR (textiles, linen, footwear) | Yes, from the first pair sold | French brand or importer; non-French sellers via a French representative | Accurate material composition per style for declarations |
Triman + Info-tri marking | Yes | Producer under EPR | Print supplied artwork on the shoebox or label and show it on the packaging sample |
AGEC product information | Above EUR 10m turnover and 10,000 units a year in France | Producer placing on the market | Countries where cutting/stitching, assembly and finishing happen; hazardous-substance declaration |
EU REACH (chromium VI, PFHxA) | Yes, EU-wide | EU importer | Lab test reports per leather article |
EU REACH limits apply in every member state, so French buyers should also read our guide to the EU PFHxA restriction on leather from India, which runs alongside the French national ban rather than replacing it.
Are leather shoes covered by France's PFAS ban?
Yes. The French ministry's PFAS FAQ states plainly that leather shoes are subject to the bans, because the law prohibits PFAS in the manufacture of any footwear, whatever the material (ecologie.gouv.fr, as of October 2026).
The same FAQ says garments and accessories made entirely of leather are excluded, because leather is not a textile. A leather jacket with a textile lining is a mixed garment, and the textile parts are checked. Professional footwear is outside the consumer ban.
The ministry FAQ describes limits of 25 ppb and 250 ppb for individual and summed PFAS, and 50 ppm total fluorine where polymers are tested, measured in each homogeneous material of the finished product. No test method is mandatory yet; NF EN 17681-1 and -2 may be used, and supplier documentation can serve as evidence.
On a shoe, the risk points are water-repellent finishes on suede and nubuck, fluorinated finishing agents, textile linings, threads and laces. Ask the factory to list every finishing chemical by supplier and to confirm that none contains intentionally added PFAS before the first bulk cut.
Who pays Refashion EPR when a French brand imports from India?
The French brand or importer pays. Under French extended producer responsibility, the business that first places clothing, household linen or footwear on the French market must join Refashion, the accredited eco-organisation for the sector, declare volumes and pay a per-unit eco-contribution.
The Indian factory sells to you; it does not place shoes on the French market, so it does not join. The exception is a non-French seller supplying French consumers directly. Since 10 July 2026, a producer not established in France must appoint an authorised representative established in France under Article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (summary by Projet Celsius). Confirm your own position with Refashion.
What the factory can do is give you clean data: upper, lining and sole materials per style, pairs per carton, and durability features you may claim for eco-modulation bonuses.
What must be printed on the shoe or shoebox for France?
The Triman logo and the Info-tri sorting instruction, shown together on the product or its packaging, such as the shoebox (French Footwear Federation, May 2026). Most brands print both on the box so the shoe itself stays clean.
Download the footwear Triman and Info-tri artwork from your Refashion member space and send it with the box dieline.
Ask for a printed packaging sample with the pre-production shoe sample, and approve it in writing.
Remove any claim such as "biodégradable" or "respectueux de l'environnement"; these are banned on products and packaging in France.
Check that EU packaging labels agree with the French marks; see our note on PPWR and leather footwear packaging.
What AGEC product information does a French brand need from its Indian factory?
If your business exceeds EUR 10 million turnover and 10,000 units a year on the French market, you must publish environmental product information for each reference. The French Footwear Federation lists, for footwear: recycled content (leather articles excluded), recyclability, hazardous substances and the countries where cutting/stitching, assembly and finishing take place (FFC, as of May 2026).
Below those thresholds the product sheet is not mandatory, but French retail buyers increasingly ask for the same traceability. Ask your factory to confirm in writing where each step happens for every style, and to keep the leather origin and tannery records that also support LWG traceability.
How Sanwas International works with French brands
For French buyers we work to your tech pack with MOQs under 500 units per style, sampling from 72 hours, bulk from around 30 days after sample approval and AQL inspection before dispatch. We can print your Triman and Info-tri artwork on private label boxes and share material composition per style for your Refashion declarations. Browse our women's leather footwear range or check EU duty timing in our India–EU FTA guide for leather, then request a quote for your French range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import 300 pairs of private label leather loafers from India into France?
Yes. At Sanwas International the MOQ is under 500 units per style, so 300 pairs is a workable first order. The French rules apply from the first pair: PFAS compliance, Refashion membership and Triman marking, while the AGEC product sheet only becomes mandatory above EUR 10 million turnover and 10,000 units a year in France.
Do leather jackets from India fall under France's PFAS ban?
Not if they are made entirely of leather, according to the French ministry's PFAS FAQ, because leather is not a textile. A leather jacket with a textile lining is treated as a mixed garment and its textile parts are checked, so ask your factory to confirm PFAS-free linings and trims.
Does my Indian leather factory need to register with Refashion?
Usually not. The obligation falls on the business that first places the shoes on the French market, normally the French brand or importer. A non-French seller supplying French consumers directly is in scope and, since 10 July 2026, must appoint an authorised representative established in France.
Which Incoterm should a French brand use when buying leather shoes from India?
Many French brands buy FOB or FCA from an Indian port and let their own forwarder handle freight, EU customs duty and French import VAT. Under DDP the seller handles import clearance, so agree in writing who acts as the French EPR producer before you choose it.
Can an Indian factory print the Triman logo on our shoeboxes?
Yes. Send the footwear Triman and Info-tri artwork from your Refashion account with the box dieline, and approve a printed packaging sample before bulk. Keep the two marks together on the box, as French rules require.
Selling Leather Shoes in France? Request a Sample Quote
Tell us your product category, leather type, target quantity per style, delivery city in France, preferred Incoterm and target delivery date. Sanwas International supplies brands across India and exports worldwide, including to the EU.
Include these details in your enquiry:
Product category and style (footwear, jacket, upholstery leather, hides or crust)
Leather type, finish and colour
Target quantity per style and colour
Delivery city in India or destination country, plus preferred Incoterm
Target delivery date and whether you need a sample before bulk
Contact Sanwas International
Mob: +91 8728858686
Address: 308 Leather Complex, Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar, Punjab 144002, India
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