Fast fashion news and archive

France: intelligent protectionism faced with ultra fast fashion

Paris - Will protectionism become a condition for the survival of the French fashion industry? As the Trump administration relaunched its trade offensive against China in April 2025, imposing massive tariffs on imports, Europe braces for a shockwave that could hit its own market hard. Earlier this week the Fédération Française du Prêt à Porter F...

Fashion

Sweden drowns in discarded fast fashion items

Sweden's recycling centres are overflowing with clothes after an EU-wide ban this year on throwing away textiles, leaving overwhelmed municipalities eager to have fast fashion giants take responsibility. "It's a huge amount coming in everyday. It's been crazy, it's a huge increase," said Brian Kelly, secretary general of the Artikel2 charity...

Business|Interview

Shein says US tariff hit won't stop fast-fashion flood

Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration will not eject fast-fashion juggernaut Shein from the US market, its executive chairman Donald Tang has told AFP. The head of the online platform, which has come in for scrutiny over its environmental footprint and allegations of human rights violations, also insisted that the company does not use...

Fashion

Fast fashion? No, thanks - which brands to avoid

Non-profit organisation Remake has teamed up with Commons, an organisation that advocates for more sustainable consumer choices. A campaign is currently underway with the hashtag #NoNewClothes, calling on consumers to boycott fast fashion and spend less for a month. Given the reduced purchasing power of consumers who are very careful about their...

Fashion

No new clothes: S. Korean climate activist targets hyperconsumption

Recovering South Korean shopaholic-turned-climate activist Lee So-yeon used to buy new clothes almost daily -- until a $1.50 winter coat triggered an awakening that stopped her shopping entirely. While looking at the ultra-cheap padded jacket at an H&M shop in the United States, where she was working at the time, Lee asked herself how any item...

Fashion|Opinion Featured

Most consumers know cheap fashion isn’t sustainable—so why do they keep buying it?

Despite growing awareness of the fashion industry's negative impact, consumers continue to purchase affordable, trendy clothes from fast fashion brands and retail giants. Why is that? How can these two realities coexist? The inspiration for this piece comes from a recent article published by Dutch investigative journalism platform De...

Background

The Gen Z dilemma: eco-conscious but addicted to fast fashion

One of the most-read articles on FashionUnited in October was about unauthorised Shein outlets -- pop-up shops that pretend to be by the Chinese internet giant but are simply riding on the brand's popularity. Pop-up shops opened in Dutch cities such as Arnhem, Utrecht and Rotterdam, offering clothes at extremely low prices. These shops have been...

BusinessMember

Fast fashion setback: Indonesia wants to block popular Temu shopping app

The Indonesian government appears to have taken steps to potentially restrict online marketplace Temu's presence in its region, asking Google and Apple to ban the app. While Temu is a relatively new e-commerce platform that has rapidly expanded its operations globally since its launch in 2022, initial scrutiny and criticism in various markets,...

PeopleMember

Former EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger to advise Shein

Former EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger will lobby for Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein. Oettinger is to advise Shein on the political climate in the European Union, as reported by Dutch media platform NOS on Wednesday. The Chinese fast-fashion giant is trying to improve its reputation against the backdrop of a planned IPO in London. Shein has...

FashionFeatured

Bangladesh unrest threatens global apparel supply chain

Bangladesh, a cornerstone of global apparel production, is grappling with domestic turmoil that threatens to disrupt the international fashion industry. Recent protests against the government's job quota system, culminating in the resignation of the country's authoritarian prime minister, have led to internet blackouts and curfews. These...

Fashion|OPINION Featured

Where is the system change in the fashion industry?

While reading the Dutch book ‘De mens is een plofkip’ ('Humans are battery chickens'), in which writer and journalist Teun van de Keuken takes a closer look at the food industry, I was repeatedly reminded of the fashion sector. Van de Keuken argues that it is almost impossible to escape the (ultra) processed food that is constantly being thrust...

Fashion

EU targets fast fashion e-commerce with new customs regime

The European Union is set to overhaul its customs regulations, targeting the burgeoning low-cost e-commerce sector in a move that could significantly impact global online retail giants and consumer shopping habits. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was re-elected for a second five-year term last week, announced the...