How to limit the excesses of “fast fashion”?
The National Assembly unanimously voted on Thursday for measures aimed at curbing the rapid production of low-cost, poor-quality clothing, with a ban on advertising for the sale of clothing at knockdown prices flooding the market and a “penalty” reinforced environment to make them less attractive.
The bill, adopted at first reading, will now have to be examined by the Senate.
It comes from the Horizons group, one of the three components of the presidential majority, as part of its day reserved at the Palais-Bourbon.
Despite reservations, she received the support of all groups in the chamber.
This text will make France “the first country in the world to legislate to limit the excesses of ultra fast-fashion”, greeted the Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, in the Chamber.
Read also Faced with fast fashion, a law that takes its time
In a context of declining purchasing power, the saturation of the market with inexpensive, constantly renewed and massively imported clothing has shaken the sector, where store closures and legal receiverships are increasing.
But it is the environmental angle that highlights the text carried by Horizons MP Anne-Cécile Violland: “The textile industry is the most polluting, it represents 10% of greenhouse gas emissions”, a- she stressed, also mentioning water pollution.
Environmental impact
With in the viewfinder, intensive production practices pushed to their climax by the emblematic Chinese company Shein and its “7,200 new clothing models per day” on average.
The proposed law gives a definition of “fast fashion”, with criteria based on the volumes produced and the speed of renewal of collections.
But it refers to decrees to set numerical thresholds.
The companies targeted would have an obligation to make consumers aware of “the environmental impact” of their products.
The main measure is the strengthening of the “bonus-malus” system in the textile sector, to take into account the “environmental costs” of excessive production.
The penalty would be linked to the “environmental labeling” of products, a new method of rating products to be implemented.
Its amount, to be set by decree, could gradually reach up to 10 euros per product in 2030, with a ceiling of 50% of the sales price.
An amendment provided for levels to reach these 10 euros, in particular a first at 5 euros in 2025. “It is not a tax,” insisted Ms. Violland, the contributions having to be redistributed in favor of clothing producers sustainable, with the aim of lowering their prices.
Also read Pollution, overconsumption… When fast fashion heats up the planet
The other flagship measure is the “ban on advertising for products and companies” falling under the definition of “fast fashion”, customary for aggressive marketing.
This provision was supported by all groups, except Les Républicains (LR).
“If you ban advertising on textiles, in particular fashion, you no longer have fashion,” said LR deputy Antoine Vermorel-Marques.
“The devil is in the decrees”
Rebels, environmentalists and socialists pleaded in vain to set minimum penalties and import quotas.
As well as to impose criteria for respecting social rights in the textile industry.
They also failed to include in the law the numerical thresholds defining “express fashion”, as LR also requested.
“The devil is in the decrees,” worried LFI MP Alma Dufour, fearing that the Ministry of the Economy would reduce the ambition of the text through regulations.
On the other hand, she welcomed a government amendment allowing the integration of online sales platforms (“marketplace”).
Also readUltra-fast-fashion: Shein, Temu, Alibaba… up to 10 euros penalty on each item of clothing?
The coalition of NGOs “Stop Fast Fashion” had called on parliamentarians to provide thresholds allowing “not to penalize only Shein or Temu”, believing that “brands like Zara, Primark, H&M or Action” must also be targeted.
For Shein, this text “disproportionately penalizes the most cost-conscious consumers”.
According to a spokesperson, the number of references “is not a relevant indicator” to define “fast fashion”, rather linked according to the brand to the scale of unsold items.
The Commerce Alliance, which brings together department stores, has expressed reservations about basing the “penalty” on “environmental display”.
Its general director, Yohann Petiot, said he feared that the text would “miss its target” by impacting national companies rather than “ultra fast fashion”.