France passes law aimed at curbing fast fashion

Will restrict advertising by Shein and Temu

The French Senate has passed an updated bill targeting the environmental impact of fast fashion. If the legislation is fully approved by parliament, France may ban advertising by rapidly growing Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu.

The nearly unanimous support from senators reflects the seriousness of the effort to reduce the textile industry’s environmental footprint. The lower house of parliament had already given the green light to the initial version of the bill last year.

Critics of fast fashion argue that cheap clothing encourages overconsumption and leads to an increase in waste, which negatively affects the environment.

The new version of the bill clearly distinguishes between «fast fashion» and «ultra-fast fashion,» allowing for lighter restrictions on European brands such as Zara and Kiabi.

Shein responded to the initiative by stating that it does not consider itself a fast fashion company, but rather part of the solution to environmental challenges, not the source of the problem.

The law also introduces fines for companies that do not meet environmental standards. By 2030, these penalties could reach 10 euros per clothing item or up to 50% of the product’s value excluding VAT.