France’s parliament has passed a bill to curb the rise of fast fashion, targeting some Asian e-commerce platforms known for selling large volumes of low-quality clothing at lower prices.
The upper house passed the bill after the lower house did last week.
Imposing a per-item fee for producing textiles en masse, the bill bans advertising for such brands, including by social media influencers.
Imposing a per-item fee for producing textiles en masse that will increase over time, the bill bans advertising for ultra-fast fashion brands, including by social media influencers.
Many such Asian e-commerce firms have turned popular in France in the last few years.
The law would target the main players, including three Chinese companies: Temu, Shein and AliExpress, Trade Minister Serge Papin said recently.
It makes it mandatory for ultra-fast fashion firms to display messages on their websites promoting more moderate consumption, including reusing and repairing clothing.
The law targets ultra-fast fashion based on two criteria: the volume of clothing pushed into the market and the cost of repairing garments relative to their purchase price. The per-item fee will vary on a set scale according to how each brand scores on both these standards.
The fee may reach up to €20 ($23) per item by 2030, though the cap remains at 50 per cent of the product’s pre-tax price.
These penalties will partially fund collection and recycling infrastructure, according to Feench media reports.
However, Stop Fast Fashion coalition criticised the bill, calling it a ‘greatly watered-down’ version compared to the one originally put forward.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
