PARIS (AP) — A pioneering bill to curb the rapid spread of fast fashion has been unanimously approved by the French lower house of parliament, making France one of the first countries in the world to target the influx of cheap, mass-produced clothing, mainly from China.
The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, and France is trying to make fast fashion less attractive, setting a precedent in the fight against the environmental degradation they cause.
Lawmakers unanimously approved the bill on Thursday, giving the green light for the bill to be debated in the Senate – either approved or sent back to the House with amendments – before it can become law.
Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Bechoux hailed the vote as a historic step to curb the “excesses” of fast fashion. The bill introduces tough measures such as banning advertising of the cheapest textile products and imposing an environmental tax on these low-cost products.
The bill specifically targets fast fashion giants, requiring them to disclose the environmental impact of their products, a move aimed at shifting the industry towards more sustainable practices and promoting transparency and accountability.
The move is aimed at promoting environmental protection and protecting France’s vaunted luxury fashion industry. Coincidentally, it comes the same week that French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed France’s highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honor, on luxury goods giant LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault in a private ceremony attended by stars including Beyoncé.
In France, known for luxury brands such as LVMH’s Louis Vuitton and Chanel, the lower-priced market sector is struggling with fierce competition from fast-fashion retailers such as Zara, H&M and Chinese upstarts Shein and Tempu.
By imposing these measures, France aims to level the playing field and promote a more sustainable fashion environment.
But manufacturers like Shein have pushed back against that criticism, arguing for years that their business model effectively keeps the percentage of unsold clothes low, even if quickly, which they argue contributes to reducing waste, a key aspect of fashion sustainability.
Luxury giants such as LVMH and Kering regularly face criticism over the billions of dollars of unsold inventory they hoard each year.
French supporters of the bill say it paves the way for future action, such as a proposed EU-wide ban on second-hand clothing exports to tackle the growing textile waste problem.
