Clément Beaune, head of the French High Commission for Strategy and Planning, presented the main principles of a study on fast fashion on Wednesday. He advocates French-made clothing, recycling and high taxes to counteract the massive distribution of these products.
Ahead of Friday’s release of the study, “Fast Fashion: A Phony Solution to the Purchasing Power Problem,” Beaune explained on RMC that ultimately “it’s cheaper to buy long-lasting.”
“If you wear your jeans, made in France, durable and produced under good conditions, every day for a year, they will remain in good condition,” he explained. “The jeans bought on a large platform, on the other hand, are already destroyed.”
“We’ve seen that, on average, an ultra-fast fashion dress is worn four times shorter, a coat is worn eight times shorter and a pair of jeans is worn seven times shorter,” he said. He called for the so-called “cost per wear” of a piece of clothing to be taken into account instead of just the purchase price.
Avoid deindustrialization
Beaune also suggested greater support for the second-hand and repair sectors. A reduced VAT on these activities is conceivable.
He also spoke out in favor of a “massive tax” on imports of these products into the European Union. The aim is to stem the flood of goods from large platforms. “We must not relive what we went through 25 years ago in France and across Europe with deindustrialization. That’s a fancy term for the fact that we closed factories everywhere.”
In his view, “there is still time to save brands and jobs.” While he acknowledged that “there will sometimes be a debate about purchasing power,” he emphasized: “Our job is also to think long-term.”
The study also suggests the introduction of an eco-check. This model is already practiced in Belgium to encourage the purchase of environmentally friendly products and services.
“It’s kind of like holiday checks,” explained the High Commissioner. “Companies could pay out additional income on a voluntary basis in the form of a check. This would be intended for the purchase of long-lasting clothing made in France or Europe. This would be free of taxes and contributions for employers.”
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