French lawmakers come out swinging against fast fashion

What all the TikTok haul videos of Shein shopping sprees generally don’t mention is hauling of another sort, namely the likelihood that the fast-fashion items will be worn only a few times before they get hauled to a landfill. Add the environmental impact of producing that clothing and allegations of human rights abuses in fast-fashion manufacturing facilities, and it’s no wonder that brands like Shein draw the ire of critics.

Now French officials are going after what they call ultra-fast fashion brands, and lawmakers have targeted Shein by name in a proposed law that would slap a fee on fast-fashion purchases of up to 10 euros ($10.93 at this writing), or 50% of the price, by 2030.

“L’ultra fast-fashion est une catastrophe écologique,” French Environment Minister Christophe Béchu wrote on X, in one of those sentences that give the false impression that you can be understood in Paris just by speaking English with a French accent.

In response, Shein provided a statement to AFP, the French news agency, stating that it adheres to the “best international practices in terms of sustainable development and social commitment.”

Carottes et bâtons: The law, according to an article in France 24, would take a carrot-and-stick approach, and award consumers who purchase a product manufactured in an environmentally friendly way in France with a bonus, not unlike how electric-vehicle purchases have been incentivized by tax rebates in the US.

France, which banned advertising of most fossil fuels in 2022, also proposes to do so for fast fashion brands under the law.

“This evolution of the apparel sector towards ephemeral fashion, combining increased volumes and low prices, is influencing consumer buying habits by creating buying impulses and a constant need for renewal,” the bill states, “which is not without environmental, social and economic consequences.”