To date, Australia has done little about the problem \u2013 even though every Australian bought an average<\/a> of 53 new pieces of clothing as of 2023 and we send 220,000 tonnes of clothes to the dump annually. Responses so far have focused on voluntary schemes, which have done little to help. Policymakers should look overseas. <\/p>\n Ultra-fast fashion companies such as Shein and Temu would be targeted by new French laws, if they are passed. Why is ultra fast fashion such a problem?<\/p>\n About 117 billion pieces of clothing were purchased worldwide in 2023 \u2013 about 14 pieces per person. That\u2019s well beyond the limit of five new garments per year experts recommend<\/a> if we\u2019re to live within our planetary boundaries. <\/p>\n There are many problems with buying too many cheap clothes. Textile manufacturing is surprisingly energy intensive. At present, the industry is responsible for about 2%<\/a> of global emissions and this is expected to rise steadily. Millions of barrels of oil are used each year to make synthetic fibres such as polyester. <\/p>\n Ultra fast fashion items rely heavily on synthetic fibres. When washed, they produce large volumes<\/a> of microplastics which go into rivers and oceans. The European Union estimates<\/a> textiles account for about 20% of freshwater pollution annually. Many ultra cheap clothing items have question marks<\/a> over how ethically they were produced. Nearly all of these cheap clothes only have one owner before going to the dump. <\/p>\n Australia\u2019s response is minimal<\/p>\n Australia has no national policy on clothing. Circular economy policies and strategies at both federal and state levels don\u2019t tend to focus on textiles. <\/p>\n Australian consumer laws regulate greenwashing of products. In 2023, Australia\u2019s peak competition regulator flagged the textile industry<\/a> as one with a high rate of concerning claims. <\/p>\n Similarly, Australia\u2019s modern slavery laws require large corporations to identify and address risks of slave labour in their operations. Fashion brands often source materials and labour from regions with high exploitation risks<\/a> Unfortunately, these laws don\u2019t have penalties attached. <\/p>\n These laws are positive, but still far from the EU\u2019s large-scale efforts<\/a> to regulate the textile industry. <\/p>\n One promising effort is the voluntary Seamless<\/a> textile scheme. Voluntary schemes like these are often used as a way to introduce reforms to a previously unregulated sector or industry. <\/p>\n The goal of this scheme is to help brands take responsibility for the entire lifespan of the garments they make or sell. Participating brands and retailers pay a levy which is used to promote clothing repair and rental, expand recycling and run information campaigns. Seamless is meant to help the industry prepare for a potential mandatory scheme in the future. Former Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she was<\/a> \u201cnot afraid to regulate\u201d last year, but nothing has happened since. <\/p>\n To date, participation has been very limited. Around 60 brands and retailers have signed up. Ultra-fast fashion brands such as Temu and Shein aren\u2019t covered by the scheme, as they\u2019re based overseas. <\/p>\n![\"shein](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/file-20250722-56-1bec8r.jpg\")
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