The Ban on Destroying Unsold Goods
The French government has decided that enough is enough when it comes to destroying unsold goods.
The French government has been making steps to become more eco-friendly, and it’s most recent proposal to cut waste is set to affect online retailers such as Amazon and large luxury brands.
The destruction of non-food items, such as clothing, household appliances, beauty and hygiene products will end in France within the next 5 years as part of an anti-waste bill which will be presented to the Council of Ministers in July and aims to instead ensure these products are given away or recycled by the end of 2023.
Today more than $600 million of new and unsold non-food products are discarded or destroyed each year, according to the government, and the prime minister, Edouard Philippe has stated that "We can avoid (...) this scandalous waste.. (&) our idea is not to constrain or impose, but to support companies (...) to ensure that we move to a new stage in our economy."
The PM's office said special arrangements are anticipated for the luxury sector to avoid allowing brands to use the excuse that they are maintaining the exclusivity and luxury mystique of the brand by destroying unsold goods.
France's junior environment minister Brune Poirson promised a law to tackle waste in January after a documentary was released showing the online retail giant, Amazon destroying products that had been returned by consumers.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about France’s new proposed Ban on Destroying Unsold Goods! Do you think this will help France’s economy make a positive impact on the environment? Join the conversation below!
From Head to Toe: A Look At 2 Sustainable French Fashion Companies
France has led the world in fashion before, and it will do so again. This time, sustainably.
As the sustainable fashion industry continues to grow across the world (remember our article FORWARD THINKING SPANISH JEWELRY: CHUS X CHUS?) there are 2 booming French clothing labels taking the industry by storm.
First up is Soeur, established by 2 sisters (how appropriate right?). With several shops in Paris and a following that is growing by the day, Soeur's goal is to create androgenous, affordable clothing that is sourced sustainably.
The sisters, Domitille and Angelique Brion (one a stylist with Bonpoint, the French childrenswear brand and the other has a diploma in children and adolescent psychology), source their materials from India, Mauritius, Madagascar and eastern Europe and offer alluring white shirts, great Indian printed dresses and even a turf-coloured linen jacket called Dublin.
Click below to shop the entire line!
Next up is the booming French vegan shoe line, Veja.
Initially established in 2004 by Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion, the brand has taken the slow and steady approach to make sure their brand was able to grow while keeping their ethics at the forefront of development. The cotton comes from an organic farm in Brazil, where workers don’t have to worry about harmful pesticides poisoning their villages and the rubber is tapped by residents in the Amazon. According to FastCompany "Even the way the shoes are boxed, warehoused, and shipped is unconventional: Veja partners with Atelier Sans Frontières, an organization that helps people who have been incarcerated or are otherwise struggling to find work, to employ workers to prepare orders."
Click below to shop the entire line!
We hope you've enjoyed learning about 2 of France's biggest sustainable fashion contenders in From Head to Toe: A Look At 2 Sustainable French Fashion Companies! What type of clothing / accessories do you crave to see made in a sustainable manner that hasn't been tapped in the market yet? Comment below!
4 Popular French Fragrances and their Origins
Learn about the roots of these four French showers perfumes!
It may seem like common "scents," but many people are not aware of the origins of these 4 popular French fragrances: Chanel No. 5, Sauvage by Dior, Prada Eau de Perfume and Parisienne. Whether you have heard of them, know a friend or family member who wears one, or if you are guilty of wearing one yourself; these perfumes are simply classics, and originated in the backyard of the French countryside.
Nestled into the hills along the French Riviera lies Grasse, France--the perfume capital of the world. Due to the town’s micro-climate and geography, flower farming has been a great success for centuries, producing lavender and other flowers known for their wonderful scents. This naturally led to the eventual success of the perfuming industry after the discovery of organic synthesis (the process of turning scents into fragrances) in the 18th century. Les Nez, or "noses," from all around the world have curbed their senses in Grasse to distinguish between over 2,000 kinds of scents, or simply to tour the perfumeries for a "scents" of the town’s history.
To this day, Grasse produces over 2/3 of all of France’s natural aromas. The majority of French fragrances found their origins in Grasse, including the notorious Chanel No. 5, and other perfumes listed below:
Chanel No. 5
All hail the Chanel gods— Chanel No. 5 is considered the classic fragrance for women. From references of the perfume in pop culture, and the iconic Marilyn Monroe being notorious for flaunting it, a girl can’t go wrong wearing this on a night around town. The now and forever fragrance. The ultimate in femininity. An elegant, luxurious spray closest in strength and character to the parfum form.
This fragrance can be purchased here!
Sauvage – Dior
Dior is another brand known for its timeless scents that transcend each generations. Dior fragrances have been produced in Grasse since the perfume's conception. This particular model, Sauvage, is a radically fresh composition that is raw and noble all at once. Natural ingredients prevail as radiant top notes burst with the juicy freshness of Reggio di Calabria bergamot.
This fragrance can be purchase here!
Prada Eau de Parfum
This oriental amber scent begins with citrus notes of bergamot, orange, bitter orange, mandarin flower, and mimosa. Mid notes of rose, schinus molle, peru balsam, patchouli, and raspberry give way to reveal rich base notes of sandalwood, labdanum, tonka bean, vanilla, amber and musk.
This fragrance can be purchased here!
Parisienne
Inspired by the Parisian female persona, this fragrance is the latest hit fragrance by Yves Sant Laurent. Although the woman it appeals to isn’t native to Paris, she still calls it home. Parisienne is the fragrance of ultra-femininity and sensuality, built with notes of blackberry, damask rose, and sandalwood. The grand floral with a woody structure is luminous even in its mystery.
This fragrance can be purchased here!
I hope you enjoyed these 4 Popular French Fragrances and Their Origins. If you are looking to learn more French language and culture, make sure to sign up for our new Online Classes at JP Linguistics! Don't forget to tell your friends about Frenchie Fridays so they can receive fun French stories delivered directly to their inboxes - they can sign up HERE. Merci et à bientôt!
Photo credit by Patrick Blaise - Pixabay, Wikipedia and Terrance Sterling