Latest news with #Jean-FrancoisLongeot
Hypebeast
2 days ago
- Business
- Hypebeast
Can France's Fast Fashion Law Cure Shein's Ills?
On Tuesday, France's Senate voted in favor of a revised bill aimed at regulating fast fashion companies, a major development in efforts to mitigate the ecological impact of overconsumption. If put into effect, the law could go as far as banning advertising from popular Chinese web stores likeSheinandTemuand other fast-fashion purveyors. Such firm measures to regulate the textile industry have come about in response to the environmental spillover attached to the proliferation of cheaply-produced and extremely low-priced garments. According to a report from theUN Environment Program, from 2000 to 2015, garment production doubled, while the lifecycle of garment use decreased by 36%. In light of the boom in production during the 2000s, it's no surprise that approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are produced by humans every year. Originally introduced in 2023 and passed by France's lower house in 2024, the bill was revised to 'make it possible to target players who ignore environmental, social, and economic realities, notably Shein and Temu,' said Jean-Francois Longeot, chair of the Senate's Committee on Regional Planning and Sustainable Development toReuters. The 'clarifications,' differentiating 'classic' from 'ultra' fast fashion, impose less severe restrictions on European apparel companies, like Inditex'sZara— which has drawn further criticism from sustainability advocates. The upper house of parliament voted almost unanimously for the revised bill, which includes new penalties for classic fast and ultra-fast fashion companies if set environmental criteria aren't met. Measures include reaching at least 10 euros per item of clothing by 2030, or up to 50% of the product's price excluding tax. For next steps, the European Commission will be informed of the vote, and a joint committee must reach an agreement between the two houses' versions of the law before it goes into effect. Following the introduction of the 2023 bill, delegates from EU Member States, including Austria, Finland, and the Netherlands, echoed France's initiative and pushed for EU-wide regulations. In February 2025, the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement to revise the 'Waste Framework Directive,' an EU framework for waste management, to address waste generated by fast and ultra-fast fashion companies. It's no coincidence that some of the most aggressive fast fashion regulations have emerged from the home of luxury's capital. In addition to the French parliament, Paris is known for the world's largest designer brands fromLouis VuittontoHermes, as well as luxury conglomeratesLVMHandKering. On an international scale, the wider charge is currently led by the European Union, where other metropolitan centers like Milan (home ofPrada Group) also serve as luxury hubs. The growing calls to reduce fashion's environmental impact are indeed long overdue. However, the question remains whether the measures will slow consumer demand for trendy styles at ultra-low prices, especially as economic headwinds are already putting increased pressure on wallets. The sheer abundance of 'Shein haul' TikToks, where users regularly show off packages full of excessive products, is a testament to how consumer behaviour shares culpability. Reforming the fashion industry's ills will require not only action from brands but also open minds from customers. A world where products are crafted with intention and consumed consciously is contingent on building a new relationship to fashion, involving better garment care and increased utility throughout the product lifecycle. Perhaps fast fashion has something to learn from luxury, especially given that some maisons are over a century old (Shein was founded in 2008). Strong principles of craft, quality, and longevity are integral to the messaging of today's most resonant luxury brands likeBottega VenetaandLoewe. The question is whether the high level of care and consideration held for luxury fashion can be extended to everyday clothing without pricing out customers.
Business of Fashion
2 days ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
French Senate Backs Law to Curb Ultra Fast-Fashion
France's Senate approved a revised version of a law regulating fast fashion on Tuesday, which if implemented would ban advertising by fast-growing Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu. Senators in the upper house of parliament voted almost unanimously for a modified version of a bill passed by France's lower house last year, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry. Critics say the low-priced garments produced by fast-fashion chains drive excessive consumption and waste, exacerbating the textile sector's impact on the environment. An amended version of the bill distinguishes between 'ultra' fast fashion and 'classic' fast fashion, however, imposing less onerous restrictions on European fast-fashion players like Zara and Kiabi, but drawing criticism from environmental groups. The 'clarifications (made by the Senate) make it possible to target players who ignore environmental, social, and economic realities, notably Shein and Temu, without penalising the European ready-to-wear sector,' said Jean-Francois Longeot, chair of the Senate's Committee on Regional Planning and Sustainable Development. 'Shein is not a fast fashion company,' said the Chinese firm in a statement in response to the vote, adding that its model was 'part of the solution, not the problem'. Faced with competition from very low-priced products, several French brands are experiencing significant difficulties, such as Jennyfer, which went into liquidation at the end of April, and NafNaf, which has been in receivership since May. The law would also introduce penalties for both fast and ultra fast-fashion companies if they don't meet certain environmental criteria, reaching at least 10 euros per item of clothing by 2030, or up to 50 percent of the product's price excluding tax. The government needs to notify the European Commission of the vote, and will then need to set up a joint committee to reach a compromise between the Senate and lower house versions of the law before it is implemented. By Florence Loeve; Editors: Dominique Patton and Mark Potter Learn more: Tariffs Won't Kill Fast Fashion, But They Might Kill Sustainable Fashion Some have hailed America's escalating trade war as a means to finally curb overconsumption of cheap goods. Instead, the economic hardship its likely to bring on will eviscerate efforts to transform the industry for the better, writes Kenneth P. Pucker.
