News Spotlight: The Fall of Fast Fashion

Have you heard the news? Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Environment Committee recommend that the fashion industry change the rules of the game. I think it’s time we allow them a seat at the table to deliver their policies to “end fast fashion.”

Europe's policymakers announced they are not letting fast fashion walk over what could be a thriving circular, sustainable, and socially just fashion industry. There is no denying that as fast fashion's accessibility increases, the amount of cheap clothing purchased and thrown out to waste also increases. How do we solve this? The solution takes time, but the EU might’ve cracked the first code to establish stronger regulations and for the EU countries to adopt these measures.

Wait, you're telling me the fast fashion industry hasn’t been regulated before? Right, that is very hard to believe, but it’s true.  

​​“If we allow the market to self-regulate, we leave the door open for a fast fashion model that exploits people and the planet’s resources,” says MEP Delara Burkhardt in a press release. “The EU must legally oblige manufacturers and large fashion companies to operate more sustainably. People and the planet are more important than the textile industry’s profits.”

The Business of Fashion article, “Will Europe ‘End Fast Fashion’?” perfectly summed up the Parliamentarian's call to action: “In short, they want to change fast fashion’s business model.” What will this new business model entail, you might ask. Here’s what you need to know. 

1. Parliament is supporting the EU government's agreement to ban the destruction of unsold textiles.
2. They are pushing for environmental requirements to cover issues such as biodiversity, animal welfare, hazardous chemical restrictions, and microplastic pollution.
3. Parliament is standing up for labor issues. That within itself deserves some applause. They are working to address the abuse head-on and find ways to support non-EU manufacturing countries to decarbonize. 
4. Parliament approved a draft law requiring significant companies across the board to assess their supply chain for human and environmental abuses. 

With the anniversary of the collapse of Rana Plaza passing this past April, these issues are heavy on the heart. “Consumers alone cannot reform the global textile sector through their purchasing habits,” says Burkhardt. The policy wish list and shift in the momentum of fast fashion’s doom are more critical now than ever.

The EU’s proposed requirements must be negotiated with the bloc’s 27 member states before becoming law. Parliament is expected to vote on the requirements for destroying unsold products later this month.

These policies are in the early stages, and this is just the beginning for the EU countries to continue to toughen up environmental and labor requirements. Nonetheless, Tulerie is a platform for reducing consumption and educating our community on eco-conscious practices; we are excited to follow the news, support the industry leaders making change, and ultimately grow and progress our brand forward as new measures are outlined. 

-As always, elevate your wardrobe with respected fashion and embrace the shift in style