Got a soiled shirt? Is your zip not working? Or perhaps a broken heel? If you live in France, the government will reimburse you for the cost of repairs. The French government has launched a new initiative to prevent textile waste, paying a “repair bonus” to individuals who repair their clothes instead of throwing them away. In France, over 700,000 tonnes of clothing are thrown each year, with two-thirds ending up in landfills.
People would be paid between € 10–25 for each repair
Starting in October, the French government will offer a special discount to consumers who mend their clothes. For each repair, the discount might range between € 10–25. During a visit to a Paris-based fashion cluster, Bérangère Couillard, the minister of state for ecology, unveiled the financial incentives. The government has set aside € 154 million to address this issue.
How will the system function?
People must get their clothes and shoes repaired at authorized sewing shops or by cobblers in order to earn the discount. Couillard encouraged all sewing studios and shoemakers to participate in the scheme. She added that the primary goal is to assist and encourage people who perform the repairs.
Refashion will continue to offer refunds
The French government has tasked the eco-organization Refashion with creating and maintaining the return scheme. The objective of Refashion is to encourage people to mend, reuse, and buy less textiles. They also encourage the donation of unwanted clothing. According to Refashion, 56% of donated things can still be used, while 32% can be recycled and converted into something new.
France previously implemented a similar program for household appliances
Measures to encourage consumers to mend, reuse, and recycle clothing follow in the footsteps of the French government’s bonus scheme for household appliances, which was implemented in 2020. This strategy aims to change the way home goods are produced and consumed in order to reduce waste, save natural resources, safeguard biodiversity, and address the climate problem.
The pollution caused by the fashion industry
Every year, nearly 100 billion textiles are sold worldwide. This equates to 10.5 kg per person each year in France. The repair bonus scheme is part of a larger French government initiative to regulate the textile industry and combat the popular tendency of quick fashion. The textile business is one of the most polluting industries on the planet.