Defending French industry against ultra fast-fashion
The rapid rise of ultra-fast fashion directly questions the future of the French textile industry. In his video "Why Shein Will Kill France?", Romain Lanéry gives a voice to several industrial players, committed creators, and public officials, all sharing a common observation: the economic model promoted by certain international platforms is permanently weakening the local industrial fabric.
Through the testimonies of Alexandra Broussaud, director of Maison Broussaud, Alexis Vanden, a creator committed to more responsible fashion, Marc Durie, president of J.M. Weston, and Serge Papin, former minister, a common concern emerges. Ultra-fast fashion not only threatens one sector but also an economic, social, and cultural balance built over several generations.
Why does ultra-fast fashion threaten French industry?
Ultra-fast fashion relies on a model of permanent textile overproduction, made possible by data, automation, and ultra-optimized global logistics. Collections are continuously renewed, production volumes are colossal, and prices are ever lower.
In contrast to this model, the French textile industry operates within a radically different framework. Local companies comply with strict social, environmental, and fiscal standards, bear real human costs, and are committed to sustainability. This asymmetry creates structurally unbalanced competition, weakening French workshops and their economic viability.
Shein, Temu, and AliExpress: a danger for French textiles?
Shein, Temu, and AliExpress are no longer just international e-commerce platforms. In just a few years, these global commerce giants have profoundly changed consumer habits, imposing a logic of disposable fashion and constant renewal.
The announcement of physical store openings in France starting in 2025 marks a turning point. Ultra-fast fashion is no longer limited to digital: it is permanently establishing itself in city centers, at the very heart of already fragile industrial territories.
Why are French textile workshops closing?
While these platforms are growing, French textile workshops are closing one after another. Behind these closures are disappearing local, non-relocatable jobs, vanishing textile skills, and entire regions becoming impoverished.
Producing in France entails incompressible costs: quality of raw materials, respect for human labor, environmental requirements. Faced with artificially low prices, made possible by massive outsourced production, French textile expertise is being jeopardized.
Manufacturing in France: still a viable choice?
Manufacturing in France is neither a marketing argument nor an ideological stance. It is a long-term industrial commitment. Alexandra Broussaud strongly emphasizes this: at Maison Broussaud, French manufacturing has been a reality for three generations.
Since 1938, the company has been manufacturing its socks in its historic factory in Les Cars, Haute-Vienne. Producing locally means controlling the entire production chain, making sustainable investments, and assuming human responsibility towards teams and the local area.
Buying French: a luxury or a societal choice?
The question often arises: has buying French become a luxury? The price might suggest so, but it only tells part of the story.
Buying French is above all a societal choice. It means prioritizing quality over quantity, durability over disposability, and accepting that the fair price reflects human labor, traceability, and the longevity of the product.
Consuming differently, without guilt
Consuming more responsibly should not be an imperative. Alexis Vanden advocates a pedagogical and transparent approach that gives meaning back to the act of buying without guilt.
This vision aligns with that of Marc Durie, president of J.M. Weston, who advocates for repair, reuse, and durability. Making a product last, repairing it rather than replacing it, directly opposes the logic of overconsumption imposed by fast fashion.
Preserving a strong French textile industry
Behind every French textile workshop lies an industrial heritage, transmitted know-how, and unique regional wealth. Supporting local industry means preserving essential industrial sovereignty and maintaining a vibrant economic fabric.
French textiles are more than just an economic sector. They are a heritage, a culture of well-done work, and a commitment to future generations.
The low price always hides a high cost
The lowest price rarely means a good deal. It often conceals significant human and environmental costs: overproduction, resource exploitation, rapid obsolescence.
Conversely, French manufacturing is part of a long-term approach, based on quality, durability, and responsibility. A demanding, yet essential, choice.
Maison Broussaud's stance on ultra-fast fashion
Maison Broussaud fully embraces its position. Defending "made in France", supporting French workshops, and preserving local jobs are part of its DNA.
Refusing to let ultra-fast fashion become the norm is not refusing progress. It is defending a fairer consumption model, respectful of the women, men, and regions that manufacture.
Rejecting the disposable norm to build the future
Romain Lanéry's video acts as an alarm bell. It reminds us that behind every purchase lies a societal choice. Continuing to manufacture in France, transmitting know-how, and offering durable products: this is Maison Broussaud's response.
Because some values are not to be sold off. And because the future of French textiles deserves to be defended.
Thanks to Romain Lanéry, Alexis Vanden, Marc Durie, and Serge Papin for speaking out in favor of "made in France."
Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cutns35X60U
