Is Fast Fashion Falling Out of Style in Europe?
Starting May 2, low-cost goods entering the United States from China and Hong Kong will be taxed — a break they’ve had since 1930. And in Europe, a similar measure is now under discussion.
There was a time when buying a piece of clothing was almost a solemn act, something done only a few times in life. The “Sunday best” outfit, worn on special occasions, was passed down from one generation to the next, as if it were part of a family heirloom. Then, something changed.
First came small village or neighborhood shops, then large shopping malls, and finally online platforms. Today, with just a few clicks, we can fill our carts with €2.99 t-shirts, one-night-only dresses, and disposable shoes expected to arrive within days. And often, just as easily as we buy them, we forget them in the back of our closets.
The romantic charm of the local shop has given way to the convenience of couch shopping. And with it, a new way of experiencing fashion has emerged: cheap, fast, but increasingly unsustainable.
The US Ban and Europe’s Low-Cost Proposal
The rise of these business models is closely linked to the “de minimis” regime, which allows goods below a certain value to be shipped tax-free. The issue resurfaced with the latest announcement from the United States: starting May 2, the long-standing de minimis rule (in place since 1930) will no longer apply to shipments from China and Hong Kong.
In Europe, however, the debate has taken on a stronger sustainability angle. Behind the rock-bottom prices lie opaque labor conditions, massive waste, and a devastating environmental impact. According to the European Environment Agency, the textile industry ranks fourth in terms of environmental and climate impact, after food, mobility, and housing.
Europe has only recently begun to truly acknowledge this. And only now is it taking action — particularly in the realm of online shopping. In recent weeks, the European Commission has proposed ending tax exemptions for imports under €150, a threshold that has so far allowed billions of parcels to enter the European market unchecked.
According to Politico, in 2023, 4.6 billion sub-threshold parcels entered the European Union, with 91% coming from China. The new customs plan aims to introduce stricter controls, new handling fees, and digital tools to verify product compliance. The crackdown is designed to protect consumers, but also to curb an economic model that — through waste, unfair competition, and toxic waste — is no longer sustainable.
Europe’s Strategy
Ending the customs exemption is just one of the measures introduced by the European Commission to counter the effects of fast fashion. The goal is far more ambitious: to transform the entire European textile industry, making it sustainable, circular, and globally competitive.
In 2022, the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles was launched, as part of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The plan aims that by 2030, all textiles placed on the European market must be:
durable
repairable
recyclable
and contain a significant share of recycled materials
They must also be free of hazardous substances and comply with social rights and environmental standards throughout the supply chain, with clear producer responsibility, guided by principles such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
The most recent update came last July: the Commission proposed a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), set to replace the current Ecodesign Directive.
Specifically, the update extends ecological requirements to nearly all physical goods, moving beyond the current focus on energy-related products. For the textile sector, this means designing garments from the start to be longer-lasting, repairable, and recyclable, with a lower environmental impact. A central feature of the proposal is the introduction of the Digital Product Passport, which will include detailed information on composition, traceability, and sustainability — encouraging more conscious and transparent consumer choices.
Goals and Challenges
For years, fast fashion has grown unchecked, powered by a lethal combination: low costs, light regulation, and virtually no oversight. E-commerce giants — especially those based in China — have flooded the European market with billions of parcels shipped directly to consumers, often bypassing customs duties and inspections altogether.
The result? A massive competitive advantage over local brands and a surge in low-quality, non-recyclable products with incredibly short lifespans.
The European Union’s customs reform aims to reverse this trend. Scrapping the exemption for imports under €150 is only the first step. Brussels is also proposing:
a handling fee on shipments
the use of digital tools to track environmental and safety compliance
The reform has a threefold goal:
protect consumers
reduce environmental impact
restore a level playing field for producers
However, one key issue looms: major e-commerce platforms are already looking for ways around the rules. A growing strategy involves relocating warehouses to Western countries (like the US) or partnering with local retailers, so that shipments are reclassified as “domestic” and exempt from new extra-EU parcel regulations.
A similar workaround could spread in Europe too, undermining the effectiveness of the reform. Paradoxically, those who could suffer most are small and medium-sized export businesses, which are less equipped to absorb rising costs and growing bureaucratic complexity.
In other words, for the war on fast fashion to succeed, we need a deep transformation:
in production models
in consumer habits
in recycling infrastructure
and in the culture of reuse
This requires a united front — from institutions and consumers alike. But is this path truly viable, or will people keep choosing the comfort of couch-side shopping?
Getting Dressed in 2054
If the European strategy succeeds, our relationship with fashion by 2054 will look radically different. Clothes will be designed to last, each one carrying a digital passport detailing its origin, materials, and recyclability. E-commerce platforms will only offer products that meet EU standards. Anyone wanting to discard an old garment will need to use an efficient collection and recycling system. Dressing up will still be easy — but also much more conscious.
The new key words will be “repair” and “reuse”, not “buy and throw away.” Brands that fail to adapt will be pushed out of the market. And perhaps the very idea of fast fashion will be shelved — a relic of a time when compulsive shopping was mistaken for freedom.
But every transition comes with side effects. While the crackdown on low-value parcels is aimed at curbing the dominance of low-cost giants, there’s a risk that small European businesses — especially those importing components and accessories in small batches — will also feel the pinch. These companies have fewer margins to absorb rising customs costs and limited resources to navigate the growing regulatory complexity.
Europe's challenge now is to balance ecological urgency with economic fairness. Because a more sustainable system can’t be built by leaving behind those who could be part of the solution. Writing this down is easy — implementing it is much more complicated, especially in the middle of a global trade war.
By 2054, fast fashion may be a thing of the past. But we won’t be going back to “Sunday best” either. Instead, we’ll have “environmentally tailored clothing” — the only kind truly fit for the future.
This content was developed with the contribution of Giuseppe Diodato, Manager at BIP.
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The documentary by Nic Stacey explores the dynamics behind excessive consumerism, particularly in relation to digital shopping and overproduction.
Available on Netflix since late 2024, Buy Now – The Shopping Conspiracy offers a critical look at multiple aspects of the fashion industry.
Our word for this post is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
It’s one of the key concepts driving the new European strategy. It literally means: “extended producer responsibility.” The principle is simple: “If you made it, you’re responsible for it until the end.”
This means that whoever places a product on the market (in this case, an item of clothing) can't just sell it and walk away. They must also take part in managing it after it’s been used—for example, by collecting, recycling, or properly disposing of what remains.
The goal is to encourage producers to design garments that last longer, are easy to repair or recycle, and don’t end up in landfills after just two washes.
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