How are Lawmakers Around the World Tackling Fast Fashion?

European Union discussing laws on fast fashion

Fast fashion is a complex issue, and tackling it requires multi-layered solutions, including fast fashion laws. Dedicated policies and citizens' awareness are necessary to solve problems stemming from systemic injustice. To make fashion fair by default, regulators must hold companies accountable for their environmental impact. They also need to consider the quality of life they provide for their employees.

There is growing public awareness about the exploitative conditions and environmental issues associated with fast fashion. Thanks to the efforts of activists, NGOs, and trade unions, regulators worldwide are beginning to take steps to improve the fashion industry.

European Union Lawmakers & Fast Fashion

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles 

Textiles have a sizable environmental impact in the EU. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), in 2020, textile consumption put the third highest pressure on water and land use in the Union. This textile-industry-specific strategy aims to put the commitments of the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the European industrial strategy into practice by improving the environmental performance of this resource-intensive sector. To do so, it addresses issues throughout the textiles' life cycle through specific regulations and directives.

In terms of design, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) set new design requirements for textiles, intending to make them more durable and easier to maintain and repair. Entered into force on 18 July this year, it also set 'ecodesign requirements' to increase the recycled content and better the availability of information on goods sustainability. It also introduced the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a digitally accessible product ID that will store info related to products sustainability and circularity performance and their legal compliance.

The Waste Framework Directive tackles the end-of-life aspect of textiles. It will require EU member states to ensure a separate collection of textiles by 1 January 2025. It also presented extended producer responsibility (EPR), an environmental policy mechanism that requires producers to take responsibility for the waste management of their products.

France & Ultra Fast Fashion Influencers

France is making headlines with updated legislation that goes beyond taxing ultra-fast fashion. It actually bans influencers from promoting it! In June 2025, the French Senate approved a law targeting brands like Shein and Temu, prohibiting both traditional ads and influencer marketing for ultra-fast fashion products. Influencers in France who promote these kinds of excessively cheap and disposable items now risk penalties under the new rules.

This bold move recognizes how much influencer culture fuels overconsumptions. It’s a signal that marketing practices, not just the garments themselves, have a huge role in driving fast fashion’s environmental and social harms.

While the law primarily targets non-European ultra-fast brands, critics have raised concerns that exempting fast-fashion giants like Zara and H&M could undermine its impact. Still, by tackling both production and promotion, France is laying down a new international model for holding fashion ecosystems accountable at every level.

United States Fast Fashion Laws

The NY Fashion Act

The New York State Fashion Act is a state bill that would apply to fashion companies doing business in New York with a global revenue of $100 million. If passed, it would mandate fashion sellers to be accountable for their environmental and social standards and bring about a shift in the fashion world by harnessing the economic power of New York in this sector and beyond.

Introduced in the 2022 New York legislative session by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles, it would set a legal framework to enforce standardized due diligence requirements across apparel and footwear supply chains. The action mandated by this bill would include "identifying, preventing, mitigating, accounting for, and taking remedial action to address actual and potential adverse impacts to the environment.". In addition, the apparel companies covered by the Fashion Act would have to collaborate with their suppliers to manage their chemical use throughout production.

This bill focuses on accountability. Through Mandatory Due Diligence, this state bill would demand the achievement of Science Based Targets (SBTs) in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement and map and disclose their supply chain. Under this act, the Attorney General would be able to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance. Non-compliant brands who do not remedy within a three-month notice time-frame may be fined up to 2% of their annual revenue. This money would be invested in environmental projects and to the benefit of directly injured workers and communities.

The Responsible Textile Recovery Act

On the other side of America, in California, lawmakers are also working on tackling the burden fashion overproduction and overconsumption put on communities and the environment. In the Golden State, Senator Newman, along with Senators Skinner and Wiener, introduced Senate Bill 707 last year.

Passed by the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee last summer, apparel and textile articles would have to form and join a producer responsibility organization (PRO) under the Responsible Textile Recovery Act. In addition, this bill would establish a statewide extended producer responsibility program for fashion goods if it becomes law.

This EPR would facilitate rearing and reusing, improve fashion's environmental and social impact, and reduce hazardous waste production. The Responsible Textile Recovery Act would cover manufacturers who are domiciled in California and those who operate there and establish the Textile Stewardship Recovery Fund in the State Treasury. This bill ould be a move towards sustainability and circularity in the fashion industry in California, where 1.2 million tons of textiles were disposed of in 2021.

Why We Need Fast Fashion Laws

The fast fashion industry poses significant environmental and ethical challenges that cannot be solved by consumer choices alone. While shopping more mindfully and supporting better brands makes a difference, it’s not enough to counteract an industry built on overproduction, exploitation, and disposable design. Without meaningful regulation, fast fashion giants will continue to flood the market with ultra-cheap clothing, externalizing the true costs onto people and the planet.

Robust legislation is essential to hold companies accountable for both their environmental impact and their treatment of workers. This includes laws that limit harmful chemicals in textiles, regulate the disposal of unsold clothing, and ensure brands take responsibility for the massive waste streams they create. Equally important are policies that enforce living wages, safe working conditions, and protections for garment workers who are too often left voiceless in the global supply chain.

Transparency is another critical piece. Many brands still hide behind vague sustainability claims or greenwashing campaigns, leaving consumers in the dark about where and how their clothes are made. By requiring public reporting on supply chains, carbon emissions, water use, and labor practices, legislation can make honesty the industry standard rather than the exception.

Ultimately, fast fashion laws aren’t about taking choice away from consumers. They’re about creating a level playing field where sustainable and ethical practices become the norm instead of the niche. With well-designed policies, governments have the power to shift the fashion industry from one that thrives on overconsumption and exploitation to one that values quality, fairness, and long-term responsibility.

About the Author

Roberta Fabbrocino is a journalist specialized in climate change and sustainability-related topics. Her articles have been published in several international eco-publications. Roberta also works as a content writer for sustainable companies.