What's going on with France's Anti-fast fashion bill?

Update 20/03/2025: The bill is due to be examined by the Senate during the week of 19 May. The pressure brought to bear on the Senate by the associations, which did not hesitate to use extreme means, for example by placing textile waste near the Upper House, seems to have borne fruit. Yesterday morning, the committee responsible for regional planning and sustainable development presented the conclusions of its work on the bill, which had been examined by the deputies over a year earlier, adopting no fewer than eleven amendments. See you in mid-May for the rest. 

On March 14, the National Assembly passed in the first reading a bill aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry (better known as the anti-fast fashion law), containing various measures to better regulate “disposable fashion.” Yet, nearly a year after its adoption, the Senate has still not reviewed the proposed penalty on fast fashion products, which are harmful to the environment, to those who create them, and even to those who wear them. At a time when 22%—four times more than a few years ago—of French postal deliveries come from Chinese platforms Shein and Temu, such a law is no longer just important; it is essential. So why has the French government decided to push the anti-fast fashion bill to the bottom of the pile?

“Shein wins again,” writes Fanny Moizant, co-founder and president of Vestiaire Collective, on social media. And for good reason: after months, nearly a full year, the law aiming to impose a €10 (or $10.50) penalty per fast-fashion item harmful to the environment—akin to the so-called "sin taxes" used in Anglo-Saxon countries (i.e., nuisance taxes, a form of excise duty levied on goods considered harmful to society or individuals)—has made no progress. In addition to the proposed penalty for high-impact products, the French law would ban advertising in France for companies that frequently renew their product assortments. The funds generated by this system would be used to support businesses working to reduce the industry’s environmental impact. Primarily targeting ultra-fast fashion companies like Shein and Temu, the bill had received broad support from officials concerned with protecting French brands and production while also safeguarding the environment. The project was even unanimously approved by the French National Assembly. So why has it stalled?

First, France’s political situation and its struggle to form a stable government after the chaos of last summer’s presidential elections have made things far more complicated. The law was expected to be put to a Senate vote next month, yet when the official session work schedule was published last week, the bill was nowhere to be found. This, of course, sparked strong reactions among certain members. “The government informed us that it was abandoning the bill’s scheduling without providing any explanation, except for a ‘lack of time,’” said Sylvie Valente Le Hir, the bill’s designated champion in the Senate, according to WWD. And she is not the only one taken aback by this lack of clarity. “Officially, the government is not opposed to the bill, but it is waiting for an individual party to push it forward,” explains Anne-Cécile Violland, the National Assembly deputy who initiated the legislation. “This means there is no guarantee that the bill will be registered anytime soon,” she added.

According to WWD, Senate members are not the only ones frustrated: some advocates, such as Vestiaire Collective, which has been actively fighting against fast fashion for years, are also dismayed by the lack of progress. For Vestiaire, the culprit is Shein, the Chinese giant whose business model relies on selling toxic, low-quality products at rock-bottom prices. In December, the platform appointed former French Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner to its advisory board—an appointment that, according to Fanny Moizant, has negatively impacted the advancement of the bill in several ways. Shein was quick to respond, stating that Castaner’s role was purely advisory and expressing its “support for the ambition” of the bill. However, the company also voiced concerns that the current text targets only a “limited subset” of the fashion industry. “We believe that a balanced approach, based on innovation, collaboration, and measurable goals, can address the challenges of the textile industry without compromising affordability or social equity,” the company stated.

More broadly, sustainability regulations are becoming increasingly complex. The European Union, which has long led efforts to hold major brands accountable for environmental and social abuses, is expected to release plans this month to simplify its key regulations. Officially, the goal is to boost the bloc’s economic competitiveness, but some fear that this could weaken essential protections. Despite these concerns, advocates of the French anti-fast fashion bill say they will continue pushing it forward. The Senate’s Committee on Regional Planning and Sustainable Development will review the text on March 19 and has urged the government to ensure its inclusion in the public debate agenda, said Mr. Valente Le Hir.