France’s lower house votes to limit ‘excesses’ of fast fashion with environmental surcharge

Measure is part of package aimed at limiting pollution associated with cheap, imported clothes

France’s lower house of parliament has backed a string of measures to make low-cost fast fashion, especially items from Chinese mass producers, less attractive to buyers.

Thursday’s vote makes France the first country in the world “legislating to limit the excesses of ultra fast fashion”, said Christophe Bechu, minister for the ecological transition. The measures still require a vote in the Senate.