France is moving toward stricter regulations on ultra-fast fashion—a business model centered on low-cost, mass-produced clothing.
On June 10, the French Senate passed a revised version of a bill targeting major Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu, with an overwhelming majority of 337 votes in favor and just one against.
The bill aims to reduce environmental impact and address unfair price competition, positioning itself as a pioneering initiative in Europe. According to France’s Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), 35 clothing items are discarded every second in the country. Between 2010 and 2023, the market value of fast fashion advertising products surged from €2.3 billion to €3.2 billion. Against this backdrop, France is accelerating regulatory efforts to transition toward a more sustainable industry structure.
Environmental Scoring System and Penalties
At the core of the legislation is the introduction of an environmental impact rating system, or “eco-score,” for clothing items. Metrics such as carbon emissions, resource usage, and recyclability will be assessed. Products with low scores will be subject to environmental penalties starting in 2025, beginning at €5 per item and increasing to €10 by 2030, with a cap set at 50% of the item’s pre-tax retail price.
The bill also includes a ban on advertising ultra-fast fashion brands and sanctions against influencers who promote such products via social media platforms.
In response to the bill, Vestiaire Collective, a French resale platform that has long advocated for systemic transformation through circular fashion, welcomed the Senate’s decision.
“The French Sénat passed the world’s first Anti-Fast Fashion law with historic near-unanimity— opening the door to a global conversation on how we hold ultra-fast fashion giants accountable,” the company stated. “At Vestiaire Collective, we’re proud of this new era for fashion.”
Vestiaire Collective has banned the listing, purchase, or sale of fast fashion items on its platform since 2022. Brands subject to this restriction include Zara, Gap, Mango, and Uniqlo.
A Softer Approach for European Brands
The bill draws a clear distinction between “classic” fast fashion and “ultra-fast” fashion. European giants such as Zara, H&M, and Kiabi are not subject to the most severe regulations, an approach that appears designed to protect domestic fashion industries and maintain competitiveness.
Jean-François Longeot, Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Regional Planning and Sustainable Development, commented: “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.”
However, environmental groups have voiced concern that the bill has been weakened during the legislative process, with the scope of regulation too narrowly focused.
Pierre Condamine, Campaign Manager at Friends of the Earth France, said in an interview with Euronews: “It’s a missed opportunity. We’ve got a text that’s going to target two brands and therefore leave out what represents at least 90% of production and clothing sold in France. So it’s a missed opportunity. We could have a real environmental ambition. We are very disappointed because, in the end, we can see that it’s economic protection that has become the major driving force behind this bill. In contrast, at its beginning, there was an ambition to move the sector towards more sustainable practices.”
In contrast, conservative Senator Sylvie Valente Le Hir emphasized the need to prioritize the protection of European industries.
“Today, we still have to defend what’s left of our European industries. We have to make a distinction between the production that’s done in China by these giants. We’re talking about scales that are 100 times larger than us. So we’re preserving European and French industries for the time being, because if we don’t, there will be nothing left.”
What’s Next—and Implications for Europe
The bill will now proceed to a joint committee of senators and deputies for final adjustments, scheduled for September, before being submitted to the European Commission for approval. Implementation will depend on the bill’s alignment with EU regulations.
If enacted, this would become one of the most stringent legislative frameworks on fast fashion in Europe. However, the effectiveness of the law and how companies respond remain to be seen.
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