France: New law targeting waste in the textile industry

 

France has published a new law targeting waste in the textile industry: the Bill to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry (Proposition de loi visant à réduire l’impact environnemental de l’industrie textile).

The proposed law targets industrial and commercial practices by producers that shorten the useful life of new textile clothing, footwear, or household linen for individuals, as well as new household textile products—excluding furnishing items or items meant to protect or decorate them.

The bill introduces the concept of “ultra-express fashion” and specifies the criteria for identifying professionals who fall within this category (Article 1). If these professionals operate as online platform providers, they must display a message raising awareness of the environmental impact of the products sold. The bill also bans the use of the term “free” in marketing and promotional campaigns. These measures aim to reduce the sector’s environmental footprint, ensure consumers receive clear and transparent information, and protect them from aggressive marketing strategies.

In addition, the bill requires online sellers to indicate the geographical origin of textiles directly next to the price (Article 1 bis AA), improving the visibility of information already available to consumers. It also excludes ultra-express fashion producers from benefiting from certain tax reductions (Article 1 bis AB). Moreover, it amends the “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) regime for textiles (Article 2) by:

• obliging producers not established in France to appoint a representative,
• adjusting financial contributions according to a sustainability coefficient based on environmental cost methodology, and
• introducing minimum penalties, starting at €5 per product in 2025 and progressively increasing to at least €10 by 2030, capped at 50% of the product price.

These reforms aim to simplify the system, reinforce its effectiveness, and build on measures introduced under the 2020 anti-waste and circular economy law.

The bill further bans advertising of ultra-express fashion products and brands (Article 3), including promotions by commercial influencers (Article 3a). Lastly, it establishes a tax on small parcels imported from outside Europe (Article 8), intended to reduce the sharp rise in deliveries driven mainly by ultra-express fashion. In France, such parcels now represent 22% of La Poste deliveries, up from less than 5% five years ago.

Fundo:
Global textile production nearly doubled between 2000 and 2015, and clothing and footwear consumption is projected to rise 63% by 2030, from 62 to 102 million tons. Over 100 billion items of clothing are sold worldwide each year. In France alone, annual clothing sales have risen by one billion units in a decade, reaching 3.3 billion items—or more than 48 per person. This surge has been fueled by the expansion of fast fashion brands, which constantly release large volumes of new models. The textile industry accounts for around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions—more than international flights and shipping combined. In the EU, 5.8 million tons of textiles are discarded annually (about 11 kg per person), while worldwide, a truckload of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every second. Achieving climate targets requires a shift back to sustainable production volumes.

The small parcel tax is not a customs duty under the Union Customs Code (UCC), nor an administrative fee linked to import formalities. Instead, it is a national environmental tax designed to discourage mass imports of cheap products from non-EU countries via e-commerce platforms.

Overall, the text seeks to curb ultra-express fashion, limit the volume of products placed on the market, and mitigate the environmental harms of current production and consumption models.

To find out more about compliance for textiles, do not hesitate to contact the Product Compliance Institute.