Environmental display, anti-fast fashion law: what you need to know from Fashion Act 2025

From May 14 to 15, Waro took part in the Fashion Act trade show in Paris, a must-attend event for fashion players committed to the sustainable transformation of the textile sector. This 2025 edition was marked by strong statements, decisive regulatory advances, and a shared watchword: it's time to sort out responsible models from the destructive practices of ultra-fast fashion.

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Anti-fast fashion law: threat to a model or beacon in the crisis?

The conference hosted by Victoire Satto, founder of The Good Goods, at Fashion Act 2025 highlighted the crucial issues at stake in the anti-fast fashion law, which was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly in March 2024, but is currently being slowed down by the Senate. Despite a very favorable initial reception in the media, the law is struggling to make headway, not least because of legislative gridlock.

The challenge: avoid the widespread use of fast fashion practices

Julia Faure, representing En Mode Climat, stressed the urgency of rapidly regulating the destructive practices of fast fashion, pointing out that the absence of clear regulations could lead to a worrying spread of these practices.

"The problem isn't just brands like Shein, it's the practices that risk becoming widespread. If we don't regulate, everyone will want to become a mini-Shein."

A watered-down initial ambition

Horizons MP Anne-Cécile Violland recalled that the law was initially very ambitious, aimed specifically at curbing the environmental and social excesses embodied by players like Shein and Temu.

However, following its passage through committee, the bill's ambitions were scaled back, particularly on two key issues:

• Advertising ban
• The bonus/malus calculation method for the most impacting products is no longer indexed to environmental labelling, but to criteria that are currently very vague.

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What the anti-fast fashion bill actually contains

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A legal definition of fast fashion (and ultra-fast fashion)

For the first time, the text proposes to enshrine in law a clear definition of fast fashion. This is based on several cumulative criteria

• High production volumes
• The speed of collection renewal
• Low product durability
• Lack of incentives for repair or reuse

The aim is to distinguish so-called "ultra-ephemeral" practices, embodied by players such as Shein or Temu, from a more traditional ephemeral fashion model. This distinction would enable stricter rules to be applied to companies considered the most environmentally and socially harmful.

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A bonus-malus system to encourage sustainability

The text also provides for the introduction of a financial modulation system designed to encourage good practices and penalize highly polluting models. This bonus-malus system would take into account the "environmental costs" of excessive production.

However, this point is still being debated:

• The version passed by the National Assembly wanted to index this system to the environmental display score, an objective tool already co-constructed with industry players.
• The Senate, supported by the government, deleted this reference in committee, preferring criteria linked to the "sustainability" of products or the "commercial practices" of platforms.

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The advertising framework

Another key point of this bill is the regulation of advertising by fast-fashion companies. The original idea was to ban all forms of promotion for highly polluting products, as is the case for tobacco and fossil fuels.

However, this ban was significantly watered down during discussions in the Senate. The current text only targets paid partnerships with influencers, which leaves out the majority of advertising channels, notably paid online advertising (search, social, display) or urban advertising.

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Restoring ambition to the anti-fast fashion law

Before the final vote, which will take place in the Senate at the beginning of June, the sector's federations are mobilizing to restore the text's initial ambition on these two criteria, in particular by defending :

1. A ban on advertising products with a high environmental impact.
2. Maintaining the bonus/malus system indexed to the Environmental Display score, co-constructed with brands, which allows penalties to be modulated according to the real impact of products.

The stakes are clear: we must do more than just pass a symbolic law, and turn this regulation into a real lever for transformation for companies, industries and consumers alike.

There are now just a few crucial weeks left before the vote in the Senate is scheduled for June 10, 2025. Speakers at the conference strongly recommend that industry players engage in constructive lobbying of their senators, mobilize their communities around this legislation, and participate in a massive public awareness campaign on the environmental and social challenges of the fast fashion model.

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Textile environmental labelling: decree validated by the European Commission

As Europe gradually builds up its environmental transparency rules (notably with Green Claims), France is taking the lead. This was confirmed at the conference dedicated to French regulations: the decree on environmental labelling of textile products has been validated by the European Commission.

A tool born of the citizens' convention

Environmental labelling is the result of a strong demand expressed by the Citizens' Climate Convention: "With every purchase, consumers must know what they are buying.

This request has been transposed into the Climate and Resilience Act (2021), and has given rise to in-depth work, in partnership with brands, technical institutes, and public authorities.

A French method, compatible but more demanding than Europe's

The French method is largely based on the European PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) framework, with a few additions to take account of several blind spots - recognized by the European Parliament itself:

• Impacts on biodiversity
• Microfiber pollution
• The specific effects of the fast fashion model

Where do we stand today?

The final methodological proposal submitted for consultation at the end of 2024 has been validated by the European Commission. The texts will therefore be signed in the summer of 2025, after passing through the Conseil d'État.

As soon as the texts are signed, the display of the environmental cost of textile products will come into force immediately, and will initially be voluntary, but with a framework.

A number of pioneering brands, around ten to date, have already begun to display their environmental score on their products. From now on, this score will have to be :

• Filed on an official declaration portal
• Accompanied by a standardized graphic charter

Why this is a strategic turning point for brands

Environmental labelling is not just a response to consumer expectations. It's also a competitive advantage for brands that anticipate it.

• It enables us to highlight our efforts in eco-design, materials and sustainability.
• It makes visible the differences between responsible brands and ultra-fast fashion.
• Eventually, it could be used to condition incentive or penalty schemes (bonus-malus, eco-modulation indexed to Environmental Display).

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