By
AFP
Translated by
Roberta HERRERA
Revealed
December 24, 2024
The French Federation of Ladies’s Prepared-to-Put on has expressed its “profound indignation” on the recruitment of former ministers, together with Christophe Castaner, by Asian fast-fashion big Shein. This announcement got here on the eve of the French Senate’s assessment of its “anti-ultra-fast fashion” laws.
Yann Rivoallan, president of the French Federation of Ladies’s Prepared-to-Put on – DR
In an announcement launched on Monday, the federation referred to as for “a massive mobilisation of industry stakeholders, citizens, French MPs and MEPs to counter this attempt to undermine the laws against ultra-fast fashion, and to advocate in favour of brands committed to virtuous social and environmental practices.”
The federation strongly criticised the involvement of former political figures, stating: “On the eve of the [French] Senate’s review of the laws against ultra-fast fashion, unanimously passed by the National Assembly on March 13, 2024, we strongly denounce the explicit or implicit support given to Shein by former political leaders.”
“This alignment represents a clear attempt at greenwashing by a company that floods the market with low-quality clothing and engages in lobbying to hinder ongoing legislative efforts,” the federation added.
On December 6, Shein introduced the creation of strategic advisory committees to assist its company social accountability (CSR) initiatives.
The primary three members appointed to the regional committee for Europe, the Center East, and Africa (EMEA) all hail from France: former minister of the inside Christophe Castaner, former secretary of state for victims’ rights Nicole Guedj, and former president of the French insurance coverage federation Bernard Spitz.
“The involvement of such public figures with a company whose environmental and social impacts are widely condemned sends an alarming signal at a time when concrete measures are needed to address the excesses of ultra-fast fashion,” the federation mentioned.
Yann Rivoallan, president of the French Federation of Ladies’s Prepared-to-Put on, acknowledged within the press launch: “We cannot allow companies like Shein to trample on the efforts of an entire industry to adopt responsible practices.”
“These shameful partnerships between politicians and a destructive corporate giant must not shape our shared future,” Rivoallan added.
In response, Shein highlighted its financial contribution, claiming to have added €1.1 billion to Europe’s GDP in 2023, whereas supporting 6,130 direct, oblique, and induced jobs.
Nevertheless, the federation countered by declaring Shein’s disruptive influence on the French trend trade, noting that the e-tailer has over 3 million every day customers in France, and is projected to develop by 30% in 2024, “destroying thousands of jobs in the fashion sector in the process.”
