'Rethinking' fashion: 'Emphasizing the value of a material that is aging beautifully and gracefully, engaging emotion'

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00:00French Senators have begun debating a proposed law to reduce the environmental impact of

00:05the textile industry, estimated to be responsible for 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions

00:10worldwide.

00:11The French legislation is seeking to define and regulate imports of low-cost, high-turnover

00:17clothing known as ultra-fast fashion, which is embodied by Chinese online retailers such

00:24as Sean and Temu.

00:25However, ecologists fear the proposed law has been significantly diluted from its original

00:31form.

00:32Joining me now is Aurélie Moss, a Swiss French designer and researcher specialising in innovative

00:38and sustainable materials.

00:40Aurélie, thank you so much for your time.

00:43The first question to ask you is, does this legislation go far enough?

00:47I think it's only tackling one part of the problem, which is the consumption and the selling

00:54of these fabrics, which is a key part of the issue.

00:58But coming from the design side, there's a lot of other aspects to be taken into consideration.

01:04And there's been a lot of sort of reduction of the impact on the text at the moment, really

01:11focusing mainly on advertisement and penalties when it comes to the impact of such business.

01:21In your opinion, what should be done by the government?

01:26I think we need to push further along these lines because without laws to really implicate

01:36and sort of ban such strategies of conception and sales, it's very problematic.

01:45So we need to rethink the whole system and law plays a big role in assisting this.

01:52But we need really to develop more a regenerative system from the conception to the commercialisation.

02:01When it comes to fast fashion, is France, given that it's the home of haute couture, as bad

02:08as other countries?

02:10No, I think we are more or less all in the same game.

02:15And actually, France is quite far ahead in terms of legislation.

02:20But like any, at least European countries, we're dealing with very diverse type of fashion brands

02:28and ways of conceiving and selling garments from local brands that are relying on sustainable

02:36processes to fast fashion.

02:39And of course, I think we need to find a better balance, because if the promise of fast fashion

02:43was really to democratise fashion to everybody, we also know the huge impact it has on not only

02:49the environment, but also the textile industry itself.

02:53How do we wean people off from fast fashion, especially when the rising cost of living means

03:00that it's human nature to seek out cheaper clothing?

03:03Well, I think we have to play on many levels.

03:08One of them is really to value materials that are ageing and to place and enhance beauty in the

03:15way the materials are developing and not necessarily looking for the sleek look, but really emphasising

03:23the value of a material that is ageing beautifully and gracefully.

03:26And that is also engaging emotion.

03:30So it's really one part of the thing and also maybe thinking about other ways of consuming

03:37garments.

03:38Maybe we can rent garments, maybe we can craft our own garments.

03:41It's also another way to reduce the impact of fast fashion.

03:46Is there any country who is leading the way in doing just that?

03:56I think we're more or less all on the same boards.

03:58And of course, this country is more looking into that than others.

04:02I can only speak from sort of design aspects of that.

04:05And I know Scandinavia, our countries are quite fast forward with that, trying to engage

04:12like the research and the industry together to move forward.

04:16As you say, it does come back to public awareness.

04:20And I imagine education is key in all of this.

04:23So I'm going to ask you again, how much of a role can government play in getting that message

04:29across to the public in general?

04:32Well, I think this awareness can come to school more than it is at the moment.

04:37I would like to get to know about the quality of the materials we're using, the implication

04:42of the crafting process we develop, and this from a very early age, because we need to develop

04:48this awareness, I would say, even before primary school, to shape a new generation of customers.

04:55And probably also to have more link between the researcher who are developing strategies from

05:02conception to fabrication and consumption that are more sustainable and that they can disseminate

05:07their knowledge to the industry and the consumers as well.

05:14So I believe very much in dialogue across these three parts of the society.

05:18Aurelie Moss, thank you again for your time.

05:21Aurelie Moss, Thank you very much.

05:23Aurelie Moss, Thank you very much.

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