Write T (True) or F (False). Correct the false statements.
___ The French law targets luxury fashion brands like Chanel. ___ The fashion industry causes 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. ___ The original law was weaker than the current proposal. ___ The expert thinks the law solves all fast fashion problems. ___ Only France is trying to regulate fast fashion.
Circle the correct answer.
The French law focuses on: a) Banning all Chinese companies b) Cheap, mass-produced clothing c) Supporting haute couture
The interviewee says the law misses: a) Advertising rules b) A full-system solution c) Help for fast fashion brands
To reduce fast fashion’s appeal, the expert suggests: a) Making clothes cheaper b) Appreciating aged materials c) More social media ads
Who should learn about sustainability early? a) Designers b) Young children c) Politicians
Scandinavia is praised for: a) Fast fashion production b) Linking research and industry c) Low clothing prices
Fast Fashion: A Silent Crisis in Your Closet
The clothes hanging in your closet are part of a silent crisis unfolding globally. Every single second, a staggering amount of textiles equivalent to a garbage truck's load is dumped in landfills or incinerated. This relentless waste stream is accelerating; projections indicate that by 2030, the world will discard a colossal 134 million tons of clothing annually. To grasp the scale, that's enough garments to dress every human being on the planet 14 times over.
This crisis is fueled by the monstrous evolution of fast fashion. What began as a quirky retail trend has morphed into an environmental and social behemoth. Brands like Shein and Temu epitomize this shift, flooding the market with an astonishing 10,000 new items daily, often priced lower than a cup of coffee. This constant churn drives overconsumption and unprecedented waste.
France’s Bombshell Law
In a landmark move in March 2024, France dropped a legislative bombshell: the world’s first comprehensive anti-fast fashion law. Far from being another vague sustainability pledge, this legislation acts as a "Molotov cocktail" aimed directly at the industry’s exploitative core. It represents a forceful attempt to make the world finally reckon with the devastating true cost hidden behind cheap clothing tags.
The Law That Changed the Game
France's groundbreaking legislation targets the fast fashion model with precision:
It imposes an advertising ban on ultra-fast fashion brands, modeled after restrictions on tobacco advertising. This aims to silence the pervasive "haul" culture on platforms like Instagram and TikTok that drives impulsive overconsumption.
A "polluter pays" penalty will be phased in, reaching up to €10 per item by 2030. This directly forces companies like Shein to internalize the massive environmental damage their business models cause.
Crucially, the law subsidizes clothing and shoe repairs, actively encouraging consumers to visit tailors and cobblers instead of discarding items at the first sign of wear.
“This isn’t anti-fashion—it’s anti-waste,” declared French MP Christophe Béchu. The message is unambiguous: France, the proud home of luxury houses like LVMH and Chanel, refuses to let the disposable ethos of fast fashion undermine its profound cultural legacy—or the future of the planet.
Why Now?
The timing of this law is no accident. The damage inflicted by fast fashion has simply grown too vast and visible to ignore:
Shein alone ships approximately 6,000 new products daily to France, many manufactured using toxic chemicals or by underpaid workers in questionable conditions.
The environmental footprint is staggering; textile waste now accounts for a shocking 10% of global carbon emissions—surpassing the combined impact of international aviation and maritime shipping.
The veneer of sustainability has cracked, evidenced by greenwashing lawsuits. Revelations showed that H&M’s much-touted “Conscious Collection” was, in reality, more polluting than their standard lines.
France’s law is a direct and powerful challenge to this destructive system—serving as a critical test case for the rest of the world.
The Industry’s Reckoning
The industry's response has been telling. Shein, valued at $66 billion, defiantly hosted a “sustainability showcase” in Paris just days before the law passed, featuring recycled polyester and nebulous commitments. Critics widely dismissed it as a transparent and desperate PR stunt. Meanwhile, established giants like Zara and H&M are attempting to rebrand themselves as champions of the "circular economy." However, leaked audits paint a different picture, revealing that less than 1% of their garments are actually recycled into new clothing. Even more damning, investigations show their supposedly "eco-friendly" lines are frequently produced in the same polluting factories as their conventional items.
Can Laws Outrun Consumer Addiction?
Legislation alone cannot solve the deep-rooted problem of overconsumption. However, France’s decisive action has already triggered a promising global domino effect:
The EU’s Digital Product Passport, set for 2026, will mandate brands to disclose the full environmental impact of each garment.
In the US, New York’s Fashion Act proposes significant fines for labor abuses and supply chain violations within the industry.
Australia is actively considering a 4-cent garment tax to fund much-needed recycling infrastructure.
Consumer habits are also showing signs of evolution. Movements like TikTok’s #NoBuyYear have garnered over 300 million views, signaling growing awareness. Crucially, Gen Z now shops secondhand twice as often as they purchase from fast fashion retailers. The pivotal question facing the industry is no longer if change is coming, but which companies will survive it.
The Future of Fashion (If There Is One)
Innovators are rising to the challenge, developing tangible solutions to replace fast fashion’s broken model:
Sustainable materials like mushroom leather and algae-based dyes offer genuinely biodegradable alternatives.
AI-designed zero-waste patterns have the potential to slash fabric waste by up to 30% during production.
Business models centered on rental (like ByRotation) and repair (like The Seam) are experiencing significant growth.
Yet, as Carry Somers of Fashion Revolution cautions: “Voluntary measures won’t work. We need laws like France’s to make ethics non-negotiable.” Regulation is essential to force systemic change.
Your Move
The next time you’re tempted by that $5 top, pause and ask yourself: Who truly paid the real price for it? France’s bold law demonstrates that well-crafted regulation can disrupt even the most entrenched and powerful industries. However, achieving lasting change demands action from all of us: informed voters demanding accountability, conscious shoppers making deliberate choices, and courageous lawmakers enacting strong policies. The era of disposable fashion is reaching its inevitable end. The only question remaining is: Will you help bury it—or will you continue to wear its consequences?
Could you give up Fast Fashion?
Lots of people are planning to buy no new clothes this year, favouring second-hand or making do with what they already have. However, sales at online fast fashion sites, trade is going well. Could you give up buying new clothes for a year? Would you do it over concerns with the environment? Georgina and Neil discuss this fashion and environment and teach you some useful items of vocabulary.
Do you know how many items of clothing were sent to landfill in the UK in 2017? Was it…
a) 23 million items
b) 234 million items
c) 2.3 billion items
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
𝐕𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲:
𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 publicly promising to do something (you can make a pledge to do something)
𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 given to another company to do, often because that company has the skills to do it or it can be done cheaper
𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐬 if a company undercuts another, it charges less to do a job than its competitor
𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 (𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠) caused by or a result of something
𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 unreasonable - not sensible, more driven by emotions than practical reason
𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡 strong negative reaction to what is happening
The Fast Fashion Graveyard in Atacama Desert
The video shows how thousands of tons of used clothes from other countries end up in Chile. Only a small part is reused or sold—most of it becomes waste. Much of the clothing is made of polyester, a fabric that takes many years to break down. Since there are no proper ways to throw it away, people often burn the clothes, causing serious air pollution. This harms the health of people living near these illegal dumps. The video asks countries and companies to stop sending poor-quality clothes and to take responsibility for their waste.
❓Critical Thinking
What are the dangers of burning clothes made of polyester for the environment and people?
Why do you think so many clothes are thrown away instead of reused?
Who should be responsible for this problem: the countries that send the clothes, the companies that make them, or the people who buy them? Why?
How can the fashion industry become more sustainable? Do you think buying second-hand clothes helps the planet? Why or why not?
How many clothes do you buy per year?
Do you think it's too much?
Do you check what materials your clothes are made of? Why or why not?
Would you be willing to pay more for clothes that last longer?
How does pollution affect your city or country?
What are some everyday things we can do to reduce pollution?
Do you think companies or individuals have more power to stop environmental damage?
Have you seen any good environmental campaigns? What made them effective?
What role should schools or media play in teaching people about waste and pollution?
If you could create a slogan to raise awareness about fashion waste, what would it be?
