France wants to stop product waste!
France is leading the world when it comes to stopping product waste. Years ago, they passed a law that stopped grocery stores from throwing away food that was expired. Now, they are doing the same thing with clothing.
France is in the process of banning stores from throwing away clothes that did not sell. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe would like a law put into effect by next year that would ban the throwing away of clothing that isn’t sold. Why? Well, apparently this is a growing problem in Europe. The Fashion Network believes that Europe throws away approximately 4 million tons of clothing a year. And in France, the amount is 17.5 percent of this waste!
Many believe that clothes that are being thrown away should instead be given to charity. Rather than clothes simply being discarded into the trash, they could be used by others who need clothing and don’t have the resources to purchase them on their own.
The French government is looking to eliminate waste in other areas as well. Among them are electronics, hotel, and furniture in addition to food and clothing.
Already, France has been the leader in Europe when it comes to lessening food waste. And even though grocery and supermarket waste contributes only 11% of the total food waste in France, by eliminating this unnecessary waste, France is setting the standard and template for other countries to follow.
By donating unused and unsold items, whether it be in the textile industry, food, or other areas, product waste can be lessened.
In addition, those in need can benefit from charitable donations of quality items that simply didn’t sell. Now if the fast fashion industry could follow, the planet would be in a LOT better shape!
