France takes a further step in the fight against the environmental impact caused by the fashion industry.
According to Afp-Agence France Presse, the French government seems ready to support the DDL, proposed by the Minister for Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu with the aim of limiting the activity of companies and e-commerce sites that offer countless quantities of clothing and accessories at particularly aggressive prices.
The aim of this new regulation on the sale and distribution of apparel goods is to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry, an objective that France has been pursuing for some years now with its commitment to provide consumers with detailed information on the garments they decide to buy.
The bill foresees a modulation of the eco-contribution paid by companies according to their environmental impact, so as to reshape the price gap for the most virtuous companies. The Ministry of Ecological Transition also stated that a public consultation on the environmental labelling of textile products will be launched in mid-March.
Promulgated on 10 February 2020 and entering in force on 1 August of the following year, the AGEC anti-waste law (loi Anti-gaspillage pour une économie circulaire) was created in France with the concrete objective of transforming the fashion system from a linear economy to a circular economy. The legislation, which today counts 130 articles, is based on two fundamental principles:
- The polluter pays;
- More information for the end consumer.
The law therefore seeks to protect consumers from the 'greenwashing' effect by regulating the use of terms such as 'biodegradable' or 'organic' and encouraging brands to be more transparent about their production and distribution processes.
The 29 April 2022 decree concerning Article 13 of the AGEC Law provides clear details on the notion of consumer information on:
1. Traceability of the journey followed by the product during its manufacturing process;
2. The risks of rejection of plastic microfibres linked to the use of synthetic materials;
3. The presence of potentially dangerous substances;
4. The presence of recycled materials and the recyclability of the product.
The already strong synergy and interaction between sustainability and technology in the fashion industry is transforming companies in the sector who, supported by technological innovation, can develop solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the production of clothing, footwear and accessories.
A merge that opens up new perspectives for a fashion industry that is more ethical, transparent and respectful of the planet and people. A commitment that Deda Stealth has been accepting and pursuing for several years, demonstrating a concrete desire to contribute to the creation of more transparent processes and ethical fashion.
Deda Stealth's innovative technological solutions ensure that fashion and luxury brands can adapt their business to current regulations on environmental sustainability and supply chain traceability.
According to the AGEC Law, fashion brands that want to distribute and sell their products in France are required to make available to the consumer data such as the path followed by the product during its manufacture, the percentage of non-organic fibres used in production, the use of chemicals or recycled materials.
Gathering all this data on a value chain as complex as the fashion one is the challenge taken up by Deda Stealth, which with the Stealth® Platform solution from 2023 permits the calculation:
1. For the Apparel sector:
- The percentage of recycled materials on the weight of the finished product;
- The recyclability of materials used in production;
- Presence of pollutants;
- Supplier and country of origin indication for Packaging, Dyeing, Printing, Weaving;
- Percentage of microplastics in the total weight of the finished product.
2. For the footwear sector:
- The percentage of recycled materials on the weight of the finished product;
- The recyclability of materials used in production;
- Presence of pollutants;
- Indication of Supplier and Country of Origin for Finishing, Assembly, Stapling;
- Percentage of microplastics in the total weight of the finished product.
