French ready-to-wear says it is “deeply outraged” after the recruitment of Christophe Castaner by the Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein – Libération

It's a reconversion that doesn't work. While two former ministers, including Christophe Castaner, joined the fast fashion giant Shein, the French Women's Ready-to-Wear Federation expressed its anger on Monday, December 23. She “calls for a massive mobilization of players in the sector, citizens and French and European parliamentarians to counter this attempt to sabotage the anti-ultra fast fashion law and to promote brands that manufacture in virtuous social and environmental conditions”in a press release.

“On the eve of the Senate's examination of the loi anti ultra fast fashionvoted unanimously in the National Assembly on March 13, 2024, the French Federation of Women's Ready-to-Wear strongly deplores the explicit or implicit support given to Shein by former political leaders.she says. Intended to curb fast fashion, this text plans to ban advertising for the sale of clothing at knockdown prices and a reinforced environmental penalty to make them less attractive.

An “alarming signal” in the face of “ultra fast fashion abuses”

In its press release, the French Federation of Women's Ready-to-Wear takes the opportunity to tackle the Asian giant's greenwashing. Shein announced, on December 6, the establishment of strategic committees. They are intended to support it in its approach to social responsibility (CSR), which can be defined as the contribution of companies to the challenges of sustainable development. “This alignment demonstrates a clear attempt at greenwashing by this company, which is flooding the market with poor quality clothing, and lobbying aimed at curbing ongoing legislative efforts”accuses the Federation.

The first three members recruited to form this first regional committee, intended to advise the group in the Europe, Africa, Middle East zone, are three French: the former Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner, the former Secretary of State for the rights of victims of Jacques Chirac Nicole Guedj and the former boss of the French Insurance Federation, Bernard Spitz. “The commitment of these public figures to a company whose environmental and social impacts are unanimously denounced constitutes an alarming signal at a time when concrete measures are expected to counter the excesses of ultra-fast fashion”estimates the French Federation of Women's Ready-to-Wear.

Yann Rivoallan, the president of this Federation, believes that “we cannot let the interests of companies like Shein trample the efforts of an entire industry to adopt responsible practices”. “These shameful partnerships between politicians and a destructive giant must not influence our common future”he adds.