Since the 1600s, the runways of Paris, France, have launched the latest fashion looks. Now French lawmakers are looking to reduce the allure of quickly made, cheap clothing with a new rule. The hubbub involves the economics, pollution, wastefulness—even discontentment—caused by “fast fashion.”
Fast fashion is low-cost, mass-produced clothing that mimics current styles. The fast fashion industry churns out chic, cheap clothes quickly—before the trend changes.
Critics of fast fashion say it leads to overproduction by garment makers who construct cut-rate clothes for the masses. Fast fashion can also promote unwise buying habits. People purchase lower quality items at a bargain price, assuming they’ll be able to spend again when the fashion wind changes.
Fast fashion also seems to promote the notion that people need the newest designs in their closets—and that being stylish is all-important. It emphasizes the outward appearance and forgets that God cares most about the heart.
French lawmakers like Antoine Vermorel-Marques oppose fast fashion for another reason. They want to fight pollution. In a real-life haste-makes-waste situation, the speed-made pieces usually get tossed quickly too. That makes for tons—92 million according to some estimates—of passé trash per year.
Vermorel-Marques introduced the anti-fast fashion bill to the French National Assembly. The law asks companies to disclose their products’ environmental impact. Lawmakers believe the move would encourage transparency, accountability, and more sustainable practices.
If both houses pass it, the bill will also include a ban on advertising for some textiles. It calls for a five euro (about $5.43) tax on “every fast fashion purchase” and a parallel rebate for non-fast fashion purchases.
Renowned for luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel, France wants to keep its prized high fashion industry from losing its shirt to fast fashion.
But lower-end French makers also struggle with competition from fast fashion retailers like Zara, H&M, and online sellers Shein and Temu.
Shein has already begun countering French criticism. The maker admits its business model is fast and trendy. But Shein officials claim their fast fashion model helps reduce waste by limiting volume of unsold garments. That comment highlights a frequent criticism of luxury garment giants, who reportedly have billions of dollars of unsold items yearly.
If the French bill passes, the fast fashion industry may well fall apart at the seams—while the high fashionistas escape by the seat of their fancy pants.
Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. — 1 Samuel 16:7
Why? Excessive consumption of disposable goods is not a healthy trend for the minds and wallets of individuals nor for the right use of resources.
