AGEC: How it is impacting the fashion industry, and what you can do to prepare

There’s no denying that regulations in which fashion, apparel, and textile businesses are expected to comply with are ever-evolving.

In recent years, we’ve seen the UK government introduce a Waste Prevention Programme for England, California introduce its Garment Worker Protection Act (Senate Bill 62), and the combined effort of the EU which seeks to end fast fashion and reduce waste by 2030.

With several pieces of legislation currently in place and planned for the future, we’re certainly in the midst of a disruptive decade.

What is the AGEC law?

Whilst there’s several laws to contend with at present, the AGEC law is the number one concern for fashion and apparel companies in France, and any brand conducting business in the country.

The AGEC law, also referred to as the French Anti-Waste Law, was adopted by the French government back in 2020.

It seeks to make a positive shift towards embracing the circular economy by nudging brands away from the “take, make, waste” rationale that so often defines the current state of the fashion industry.

Under the new law, brands must reduce waste in their supply chains by banning single-use products and the destruction of unsold goods, while also promoting circular initiatives like reusing, recycling, and repairing.

Furthermore, brands will be forced to be more transparent and display the environmental impact of products and packaging to consumers.

The AGEC law will apply to all goods sold in the French territory, and has already been enforced for businesses that have an annual turnover of more than 50 million euros and a volume of at least 25,000 units in the French market per year.

The law will be expanded to businesses with a lower annual turnover and less units advertised in the coming years.

Whilst this law will undoubtedly have a profound long-term positive impact across the fashion industry and its historically damaging relationship with the environment, the short-term operation of changing over critical business processes to suit the new rules can seem daunting.

Luckily, K3 has just the solution…

How K3 ViJi can you with AGEC

K3 ViJi is a data-agnostic tool that automatically collects, aggregates, and stores Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data from products, suppliers, manufacturers, and certification bodies throughout the supply chain.

All critical ESG data is automatically authenticated, in real-time, providing businesses with a single version of the truth, from source to consumer.

Equipped with visibility and actionable insights, companies can measure, justify, and promote key ESG actions to win over customer sentiment, organisational stakeholders, and ensure compliance with current and emerging legislation – like AGEC.

With K3 ViJi, you can display information like:

• The incorporation of recycled materials
• Hazardous and other dangerous substances
• Geographical traceability of the three major manufacturing steps
  • Weaving and knitting
  • Dyeing and printing
  • The assembling of a product (plus more if needed)
• The presence of micro plastic fibres

By displaying this information to consumers, you can ensure that you comply with the transparency elements of the AGEC law.

And not only will you be compliant with AGEC, but you’ll also win over an ever-growing number of eco-friendly shoppers by demonstrating your commitment to ESG!

Discover more about K3 ViJi can help your business with AGEC today.