On 10 June, the French Senate approved landmark legislation targeting ultra-fast fashion companies. The law introduces restrictions on advertising and establishes financial penalties linked to the volume of products placed on the market and their reparability. While implementing measures still need to define what constitutes "ultra-fast fashion", the legislation is expected to enter into force in September unless it is referred to the European Commission for review.
The move represents one of the strongest national attempts so far to tackle a business model built on disposable clothing, excessive production and aggressive digital marketing. Shein has already questioned whether parts of the legislation are compatible with EU rules on digital services and e-commerce and says it will assess the final implementing measures before deciding its next steps.
The French initiative comes as the European Union also strengthens its response. From this week, a new €3 customs fee applies to low-value parcels entering the EU, ending a long-standing loophole that allowed millions of packages worth less than €150 to enter the single market duty-free. The measure aims to address unfair competition faced by European businesses, improve product safety controls and reduce the environmental impact associated with the explosion of low-cost online imports.
Although the European Commission insists the measure is country-neutral, around 90% of these small e-commerce shipments originate from China, making platforms such as Shein and Temu the main companies affected.
At the same time, concerns over product safety continue to grow. New tests published by the German environmental organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe found that almost 40% of the Shein products examined allegedly failed to comply with EU chemicals legislation. The organisation has called for the products to be removed from the market and plans to submit its findings to the European Commission as part of the ongoing investigation into Shein under the Digital Services Act. The company says it has launched its own investigation and has temporarily removed the products concerned.
For industriAll Europe, these developments confirm the urgent need for stronger regulation of the fast fashion industry. Ultra-fast fashion is not only an environmental problem; it is built on a business model that undermines decent work, accelerates deindustrialisation in Europe and puts enormous pressure on workers across global supply chains.
Recent EU initiatives, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and the revised Waste Framework Directive, are important steps towards making producers accountable for the environmental and social impacts of the products they place on the market. However, enforcement will be essential. Europe must ensure that all companies selling into the single market, regardless of where they are based, respect the same environmental, consumer protection and labour standards.
A just transition for the textile sector requires more than tackling waste. It must also support sustainable industrial production in Europe, promote quality jobs, strengthen workers' rights throughout supply chains, and hold online platforms accountable. At the same time, it must stand with garment and textile workers worldwide, fighting for dignity, decent work, and an end to the race to the bottom that ultra-fast fashion has come to represent.