Our glossary

The Paris Good Fashion glossary was born following the citizen consultation on responsible fashion carried out in 2020 at the initiative of our association alongside a collective of committed actors*.

It responds to the expectations expressed by more than 107,000 participants, concerning the need for consumer information and the need to use a common language understood by all. Hence, the members of Paris Good Fashion decided to develop this glossary in order to exchange and communicate on the same basis.

Initially published in French, this glossary is now available in English in order to make as many people as possible benefit from this work. It includes about 350 definitions, and is the result of collaborative work with our members**.

  1. We first defined the main categories and terms to be included. First, we defined the main categories and terms to be included: general terms of fashion and sustainable development, labels and certifications, actors and initiatives, and materials. Another category was established, that of "Basic concepts". It includes the most important generic terms of our sector. These are also often the most complex, as their scope is either very broad or unclear.
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  2. Then, we carried out bibliographical research, which allowed us to carry out a state of the art of the existing definitions by basing them on the official and international definitions when they existed.
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  3. When they did not exist, the terms were the subject of consultation and in-depth reflection by Sylvie Benard, Clémence Grisel and Isabelle Lefort in order to be enriched and as precise as possible. For each term, you will find the bibliographic references that helped establish its definition.
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  4. Following this work which took place from March 2021 to February 2022, the definitions were submitted to the members for correction and validation. Special thanks go to Claudia Lee and Guy Morgan (Chanel), François Souchet (BPCM), and Andrée-Anne Lemieux (IFM) for their careful reading of the translation, coordinated by Clémence Grisel.

If you would like to know more, or have any suggestions, please contact us at contact@parisgoodfashion.com

* Eram Group, Etam Group, Galeries Lafayette, Petit Bateau, Vestiaire Collective, WSN

** They participated in the WG: Chantal Cabantous (Balmain), François Souchet (BPCM), Éric Dupont, Guy Morgan, Claudia Lee (Chanel), Christophe Bocquet and Aude Vergne (Chloé), Sylvain Cariou and Hugo Sereys (Crystalchain), Clémence Hulet and Alice Timmerman (Deloitte), Géraldine Vallejo, Yoann Regent and Annabelle Villot Malka (Kering), Frédéric Lecoq (Lacoste), Hélène Valade and Alexandre Capelli (LVMH), Thomas Bucaille and Pauline Mattioli (Petit Bateau) as well as Léonore Garnier (FHCM), Adeline Dargent (Syndicat de Paris de la Mode Féminine) and Andrée-Anne Lemieux (IFM)

A country of origin mark that is optional for non-food products in France and in the European Union. Its use must comply with the non-preferential rules of origin set out in the Union Customs Code (UCC).

A product is said to be “Made in France” when it was made entirely in France or when it underwent its last substantial transformation in France. What constitutes a “substantial” transformation depends on the product’s customs nomenclature or classification. The main criteria that determine whether a transformation is substantial are:

• the product’s customs nomenclature changes as a result of the transformation;
• a minimum percentage of added value was created in France;
• a maximum percentage of materials, in weight or value, originate from outside France;
• a specific transformation/working was carried out in France (frequently applied to textile products). Relevant rules are given in the Customs Code, product by product.

Unsubstantiated use of the "Fabriqué en France” or “Made in France” mark, or misleading use of symbols such as a French flag can result in a fine or a custodial sentence under the French Consumer Code.

There are a number of quality marks in France that guarantee the origin of textile products. The most stringent impose regular inspections for compliance with specifications. Examples are Origine France Garantie, France Terre Textile, Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant, Produit en Bretagne, Dentelles de Calais-Caudry, Joaillerie de France and Fabriqué à Paris.

References:
French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry
French Directorate General of Customs
French Consumer Code - Article L132-2
Paris Good Fashion
Traceable product label for textile and leather products that have been manufactured under safe and socially responsible working conditions in environmentally friendly facilities, which must be certified in accordance with STeP by OEKO-TEX®. Made in Green-labelled products are tested for harmful substances and conform to the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 or the OEKO-TEX® Leather Standard. “Made in Green” products are identified by a unique ID code that shows where the product was made (production facility and country).

Reference: Oeko-Tex
Man-made cellulosic fibres are made from natural raw materials. Some are made from regenerated protein fibre (algae, chitin, spider silk, etc.) but the majority are cellulose-based: pulp is extracted from wood, pressed, dried then shredded into a dry compound that is dissolved to create a solution which is extruded to produce strands. These strands are stretched into long fibres.

Processing the pulp prior to extrusion is energy-intensive and requires multiple chemicals. In addition, the chemicals and gases produced during this process are potentially harmful to the environment and to workers.

Sourcing the cellulose can contribute to deforestation when not from sustainably managed forests. As part of its CanopyStyle initiative, Canopy, a not-for-profit organisation, has drafted a method to assess producer performance and improve the supply chain for viscose and other cellulosic fibres. FSC and PEFC certification also guarantee that cellulose comes from sustainably managed sources.

References:
Fashion For Good (2020) Coming full circle : innovating toward sustainable man-made cellulosic fibres
Textile Exchange
CanopyStyle - Hot Button Report
Masters of Linen® is a registered mark that is managed by the European Confederation of Flax and Hemp. It guarantees that every stage in the transformation of linen, from yarn to fabric, is carried out by European companies. In order to ensure 100% traceability of finished products, spinners and weavers commit to a stringent set of rules regarding production and sourcing.

Reference: European Confederation of Flax and Hemp (CELC)
Valorisation of waste for reuse, recycling or as backfill.

Reference: Ademe
Recovery of textile fibres by mechanical means. They are:

• Shredding: shredded textiles pass through rotating cylinders which are covered in pins. The loosened fibres, of varying lengths, are aligned ready to be respun (or reknitted) or transformed into non-woven textiles. Compared with virgin fibres, recycled fibres have fewer potential uses due to shorter fibre lengths and are often used to manufacture technical textiles.

• Grinding: textiles and footwear are ground into tiny pieces which can be compounded into pellets or reduced to powder form.

• Defibring: a patented process that recovers long fibres which can be respun or reknitted into new textiles.

See: recycling, chemical recycling, open-loop recycling, closed-loop recycling

Reference: Tissu Premier et Collections (2012) Sur la route du recyclage textile
Textile fibres, or fragments of textile fibres, that are shed from a product during production, use, or post-use (end of life).There is currently no agreed definition of a microfibre’s size but it is generally considered to be less than 5 mm long. Regardless of size, the main consideration must be the impact microfibres have when they enter the environment, in particular risks to human or animal health (if eaten) and the risk of destroying ecosystems.

While microplastics are the main area of study, natural and cellulose fibres often undergo finishing processes that can prevent microfibres from safely biodegrading in the environment.

If microfibre pollution is to be avoided, the materials and production processes used in textile manufacture must be fundamentally redesigned.

Find out more

Bodies including the Cross Industry Agreement are carrying out research to increase scientific knowledge and solutions regarding microfibres. These should lead to the drafting of an international standard.

References:
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) A new textiles economy : Redesigning Fashion’s Future
Euratex
Minute fragments of plastic. The general consensus is that a microplastic measures between 5 mm and a few hundred nm.

Microplastics released when washing synthetics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic have been identified as of one of the main causes of ocean pollution (International Union for Conservation of Nature, Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources - 2017).

An estimated half a million tons of plastic microfibres – the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles – are shed every year when textiles are washed, and are subsequently released into the ocean (based on the central scenario in International Union for Conservation of Nature, Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources - 2017).

From 2025, manufacturers will be obliged by French anti-waste law (Loi AGEC) to fit washing machines with internal or external filters or a similar device, to prevent plastic microfibres from being released into the environment.

Find out more

Microplastics are classified as primary or secondary. Primary microplastics are fragments of plastic that are already tiny when released into the environment. Secondary microplastics arise from the breakdown of larger plastic products.

Reference: Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) A new textiles economy : Redesigning Fashion’s Future
Natural fibre from the fleece of the angora goat. The goats are shorn twice yearly and the fleeces are sorted, washed, carded and combed before being spun. The finer, softer fibre from kid goats is known as kid mohair.

Mohair production is more or less sustainable depending on how the goats are farmed (management of ecosystems, chemical processes used, etc.) and treated.

Factors that contribute to the environmental impact of mohair production include the conversion of natural ecosystems, pasture degradation and chemical treatment of both pastures and goats.

The Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) is an assurance of responsible pasture management and animal welfare.

Reference: Textile Addict
A voluntary agricultural and environmental management system implemented by the Australian cotton industry. It provides self-assessment mechanisms, tools and auditing procedures to ensure that Australian cotton is produced in accordance with best practices.

Reference: MyBMP
The root system (hyphae) of fungi, composed of chitin, cellulose and protein.

Mycelium-based composites build on hyphae’s ability to self-assemble into complex structures to produce foams, flexible sheets and rigid blocks, used for example in packaging, food and construction.

Mycelium-based alternatives to leather make use of mycelium’s capacity to fuse with a substrate. The resulting composite can be pressed or texturised, dyed or tanned, and cut and shaped in the same way as leather.

See: Biofabricated material, Leather alternative, Third-generation feedstock

References:
Biofabricate and Fashion for Good (2021) Understanding 'Bio' Material Innovations Report
Material Innovation Initiative (2020) Technology assessment : Mycelium Leather