The lower house of parliament in France on Thursday (Mar 14) approved a government-backed bill that seeks to impose penalties and other restrictions on fast fashion. The bill was passed unanimously in the National Assembly and is due to be voted on by the Senate, Bloomberg reported.
The report said that if the legislation becomes law, brands like Shein and Boohoo will be subject to new constraints such as a fee of as much as $10.9 on fast fashion products.
Companies would also be required to display an environmental score and fast fashion labels would also be forbidden from advertising, the report added.
What is fast fashion?
Fast fashion is low-priced but stylish clothing that moves quickly from design to retail stores to meet clothing trends. According to Investopedia, fast fashion collections are often based on styles presented at fashion shows or worn by celebrities.
This type of clothing also allows mainstream consumers to purchase a new look at an affordable price, Investopedia adds. However, fast fashion is bad for the environment as it encourages a “throw-away” consumer mentality.
Many people buying such clothing have admitted that they only wear their purchases once or twice. Critics have said that fast fashion contributes to pollution, waste, and planned obsolescence due to its cheap materials and manufacturing methods.
There are also concerns about unregulated labour practices. Investopedia further says that manufacturers in developing countries with little regulation may not oversee subcontractors, enforce workforce rules, or be transparent about their supply chain.
France’s clampdown on fast fashion
Praising the bill, French Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Bechu said the legislation would make “France the first country in the world to legislate to limit the excesses of ultra-fast fashion.”
✅ L’Assemblée nationale vient d’adopter à l’unanimité une proposition de loi pour freiner l’essor de l’ultra fast-fashion.
Je me réjouis de cette avancée majeure. Aujourd’hui, grâce au travail de @AnneCecileVio et des députés issus de tous les groupes politiques, un grand pas a… pic.twitter.com/qxDfyUX3eK
— Christophe Béchu (@ChristopheBechu) March 14, 2024
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“I am delighted with this major breakthrough. Today, thanks to the work of Anne-Cécile Violland and deputies from all political groups, a big step has been taken to reduce the environmental footprint of the textile sector,” Bechu said in a post on X.
(With inputs from agencies)