French parliament votes to ‘overly restrict’ low-cost fast fashion

The French parliament on Thursday backed a series of measures to make low-cost fast fashion less attractive to buyers, especially from Chinese mass producers.

Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Bechu said the vote made France the first country in the world to “legislate limits on the excesses of ultra-fast fashion”.

Key measures include a ban on advertising of the cheapest textiles and an environmental tax on low-cost goods.

The French clothing market is flooded with cheap imported clothing, while some local brands have declared bankruptcy.

But the main argument put forward by the Horizon Party – the party allied with President Emmanuel Macron who submitted the draft law – is environmental concerns.

“The textile industry is the most polluting industry,” said Horizons Vice President Anne-Cecile Violland. She said the industry accounts for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions and is a major polluter of water.

She singled out the Chinese company Shein and its “7,200 new garments a day” as a prime example of intensive fashion production.

Under the law, France will use criteria such as the volume of clothing produced and the speed of new collection turnover to determine what is considered fast fashion.

Once the law takes effect (which still requires a Senate vote), the precise criteria will be published in a decree.

Fast fashion producers will be forced to inform consumers about the environmental impact of their products.

It plans to impose a surcharge of 5 euros ($5.45) on each item related to the ecological footprint of fast fashion starting next year, rising to 10 euros by 2030. However, the fee cannot exceed 50% of the listed price of the product.

Violin said proceeds from the charge would be used to subsidize sustainable clothing producers, making it easier for them to compete.

A measure restricting fast-fashion advertising was also approved, although conservative MP Antoine Vermorel-Marques said “a ban on textile advertising, especially fashion advertising, would mean the end of fashion.” “.

An initiative by left-wing and Green party representatives to incorporate into the new law minimum penalties for producers who break the rules, as well as import quotas and stricter workplace standards for the industry, was rejected.

High-end fashion is a cornerstone of the French economy, thanks to leading global luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès, Dior and Cartier.

But France’s low-end fashion market has lost out to European rivals Zara, H&M and, more recently, Chinese giants Shein and Temu.