Punishment for cheap clothes. Will the French have to pay more for fast fashion?

The fashion trend known as fast fashion is characterized by the mass production of clothing (usually on another continent) and, as a result, exploitation. According to critics, clothes are being manufactured at an unsustainable pace, and collections change several times a month.

A proposal appeared in the French political bill Imposing a fine of 5 euros For every purchase in a store that promotes fast fashion. People who choose “planet friendly” clothing will be upgraded for the same amount.

The fast fashion industry includes not only well-known “chain stores” (including Inditex), where you can buy clothes in established stores. As in other European countries, Asian online stores that sell clothes and accessories for little money are becoming more popular.

Vermorel-Marques pays particular attention to Shein, a company founded in China but headquartered in Singapore. The manufacturer adds several hundred to several thousand new offers (not just clothes) every day, depending on the country. A recently published report by Friends of the Earth (FoE) estimated this Shein produces approximately one million clothing items daily worldwide.

The brand is often criticized for the social and environmental consequences of its business model. According to Vermorel-Marques, Chen is also responsible for “the destruction of the French textile industry.”

In 2023, the French government offered citizens allowances for repairing clothes and shoes to combat excessive waste and fast fashion.

The fashion for “fast” products most likely originated in the second half of the 20th century, and the fast model became entrenched, among other things, in the automotive industry or gastronomy (popular fast food). The fashion industry has also benefited from this business model, benefiting from the development of electronic commerce (e-commerce).