Khaberni - The French fashion industry is preparing to launch an unprecedented plan aimed at reducing the use of packaging in the fashion and textile sector.
On October 31, five French textile and apparel associations will submit a strategic document known as a "roadmap" to the French Agency for Ecological Transition, a comprehensive plan aimed at reducing packaging at all stages of the fashion production chain, from manufacturing to distribution.
This initiative is the first of its kind in the French fashion sector, which has long been associated with luxury and excessive consumption.
According to Mode Hardy, the former general manager of Refashion and one of the leading voices in France's circular economy, to 'Khaberni', "Fashion has become one of the sectors that produces the most non-recycled plastic and cardboard waste."
She added that "the packaging we see today is not just a means of protecting the product, but has become a silent environmental problem that affects the image of the brands themselves."
The expert explained that "what the fashion associations are now doing is as much a cultural shift as it is an economic one. Moving to reusable packaging is not just about replacing one material with another, but a complete redesign of the supply chain, from factories to online stores."
Hardy continued to explain the strategic dimension: "If France succeeds in this path, it will become the first European country to impose a new environmental standard on fashion, setting a global example. But if it fails, the industry will be seen as incapable of self-reform, which could lead to stricter legislation from Brussels."
But the goal is not only to reduce usage, but also to enhance the reuse and recycling of these packages, in an attempt to build a more sustainable and environmentally responsible production model.
According to sources in the sector, the plan will include specific quantitative commitments to reduce the plastic and cardboard used in packaging, along with field experiments to collect packages from fashion stores and re-employ them.
This step comes at a time when France is facing increased pressure to achieve its environmental targets by 2030, especially in sectors related to daily consumption like fashion, which is globally one of the most polluting industries.
Sustainability experts affirm that success in this area will serve as a model for other creative industries in Europe, as Paris seeks to cement its position as the "green fashion capital" of the world.
