In mid-March, France's lower parliament approved a bill introducing fines for ultra-fast fashion products to offset their environmental impact. The bill has now been sent to the Senate, writes Worldfootear.com.
The French parliament has approved a bill containing a series of measures to limit disposable, mass-produced and inexpensive fashion - a category of ultra-fast fashion, a prime example of which is clothing, accessories and cosmetics brand Shein. In particular, it provides for a gradual increase in fines to 10 euros per item of clothing by 2030 and a ban on advertising of such products.
To determine what constitutes fast fashion, France will use criteria such as the volume of clothing produced and the speed at which new collections are rotated. The exact rules will be published in the decree when the law comes into force.
“This evolution of the apparel sector towards ephemeral fashion, combining increased volumes and lower prices, is influencing consumer shopping habits, creating buying impulses and a constant need for renewal, which does not come without environmental, social and economic consequences,” the document says. The unanimously passed bill now heads to the Senate.
For its part, Shein told Reuters that the clothing produced under its brand meets existing demand, which allows the company to constantly maintain inventory levels at a low level, while traditional manufacturers can have inventory levels as high as 40%.
The company claims that the only effect of the fast fashion law will be to "deteriorate the purchasing power of French consumers at a time when they are already feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis."
Rating |