Fast fashion news and archive

New German textile law aims to address fast fashion waste crisis

Fast fashion is creating growing disposal problems in Germany. Consequently, environment minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) plans to hold manufacturers more accountable by requiring them to contribute to the disposal costs of used clothing. This initiative is a response to the issue of overfilled clothing donation bins, which are predominantly...

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French report outlines plan to tax fast fashion and boost local production

On Wednesday, Clément Beaune, France's High Commissioner for Strategy and Planning, unveiled a strategic study designed to combat the "massive influx" of fast fashion. The report advocates for a tripartite approach: revitalizing French manufacturing, scaling textile recycling, and imposing heavy taxes on low-cost imports. Ahead of the full...

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Europe unites against ultra-fast fashion: eight countries call on Brussels to “strengthen” mobilisation

Led by France, eight European countries are calling on the European Commission and member states to “strengthen” their “collective mobilisation” against the “systemic risks” they believe are posed by e-commerce platforms such as Shein and its competitors. The letter was sent to Brussels on Monday. “We call on the Commission to mobilise strongly...

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France: one in five online clothing purchases is from ultra-fast fashion

During Fashion Reboot 2025, Gildas Minvielle, Director of the Economic Observatory at the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM), delivered his annual report. Below are the primary insights regarding the shifts in the French fashion market from 2024 to 2025. Total turnover for the apparel and textiles sector in France fell by 1.3 percent between...

Fashion

European textile federations call on the EU for "urgent action" against ultra fast fashion

Paris - "Without delay", "immediately": European textile and clothing companies "can no longer wait years for measures to be taken against ultra fast fashion", they write in a joint letter to the European Commission. Fashion and textile players are growing impatient with the slow legislative response to Shein, Temu and AliExpress. These large...

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The 'Prato system': corruption and illegal labour at the heart of the Italian textile industry

The fatal shooting of Zhang Dayong in Rome, who was found with six bullet wounds, initially seemed unconnected to Prato, Italy's textile hub. However, investigators now believe the murder is part of a brutal "hanger war" between rival Chinese mafia groups for control of Europe's largest garment manufacturing centre. This criminal escalation is...

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Shein fined 40 million euros in France for false discounts

The ultra fast fashion retailer Shein has been fined 40 million euros. The brand was reprimanded by France's Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) for misleading commercial practices towards consumers. The sanction follows an investigation into Infinite Style E-commerce LTD (ISEL), the company...

Podcast

Podcast: Should resale websites ban fast fashion?

On second-hand clothing platforms, there are not many rules. While most platforms now have rules addressing fake products, there are no restrictions on the brands a consumer can offer. Should resale websites ban fast fashion? Source: Conscious Style Podcast

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Despite environmental damage, Gen Z has taken a shine to ultra-fast fashion

So-called "ultra-fast fashion" has won legions of young fans who are able to snap up relatively cheap clothes online, but campaigners say the trend masks darker environmental problems. Britain's Boohoo, China's SHEIN and Hong Kong's Emmiol are the main players in a sector that produces items and collections at breakneck speed and rock-bottom...

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Fashion

Fast fashion's disastrous effect on Chilean environment

A mountain of discarded clothing including Christmas sweaters and ski boots cuts a strange sight in Chile's Atacama, the driest desert in the world, which is increasingly suffering from pollution created by fast fashion. The social impact of rampant consumerism in the clothing industry -- such as child labor in factories or derisory wages -- is...

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Fashion

UK fast fashion: Half of top brands’ clothes made entirely from virgin plastic

A study looking into the use of plastics in the UK’s fast fashion industry has found that 49 percent of the clothing from four top brands is made entirely using virgin plastics. Boohoo was the biggest culprit with 67 percent of its fashion made entirely from fabrics derived from petrochemicals such as polyester, acrylic, nylon and polyamide....

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Frugal shoppers are buying less, putting sales volumes under pressure

Buy less, buy better, once the mantra of elite sustainability campaigners, has swept the world to become a global mindset, defining a post-pandemic reality. Rail upon rail of cheap clothing is no longer an appealing retail formula as consumers shift away from fast fashion to mindful shopping. Inexpensive short lifespan garments, embedded in the...