France raises REP-TLC textile collection subsidy to €268 per tonne

France’s government announced on February 25, 2026 an exceptional top-up of €40 per tonne to the support scheme for textile collection and sorting, bringing the total subsidy to €268 per tonne for 2026 under REP‑TLC. The measure was presented as emergency relief to shore up the collection and sorting side of the system.

REP‑TLC stands for textiles, household linen and footwear, and the new payment specifically targets collection and sorting activities within that scheme. The increase is a top-up to existing support already paid to operators handling used garments, sheets and shoes, and it takes effect for the calendar year 2026 at the €268 per tonne level.

The government characterised the move as an emergency measure intended to stabilise struggling collection and sorting operations, signalling a short-term intervention for 2026. By adding €40 per tonne on top of the current support, the policy aims to ease margins for the facilities that pick, grade and route textiles into reuse, recycling or disposal streams.

For brands, reuse organisations and local collectors who work within REP‑TLC’s remit, the change alters the economics of handling end‑of‑life stock through 2026. The €268 per tonne figure will be the reference point for funding flows to collection and sorting, affecting how municipalities and third‑party operators plan logistics and contracts for the coming year.

This exceptional top-up is an explicit, timebound adjustment: it applies in 2026 and is tied to the REP‑TLC category for textiles, household linen and footwear. Its immediate goal is to stabilise the collection and sorting network; the broader effects on recycling rates, resale pipelines and brand take‑back programmes will become measurable as operators adjust budgets and routing under the new €268 per tonne subsidy.