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)

Implemented by Zero Plastic Oceans, the Ocean Bound Plastic certification programme tackles the issue of marine plastic litter by improving the recycling rates of plastic waste materials at risk of entering oceans. Value is added to this plastic by collecting and treating it before it reaches the ocean.

Reference: Ocean Bound Plastic
Group of 17 independent research and test institutes in Europe and Japan. Its mission is to create trust in textiles and leather through increased product safety and improvement in sustainable production through a transparent value-creation chain.

Reference: Oeko-Tex
Relocation of production from one country to another with the aim of reducing production costs, usually by finding a more lenient environment in terms of labour laws, tax laws, exchange controls or pollution laws.

Reference: Larousse
Certification issued by TÜV AUSTRIA BELGIUM. Products and packaging with the OK Compost HOME label are suitable for home composting. The programme does not explicitly reference one standard but sets out all the technical requirements a product must meet and has served as a basis for other standards: NF T 51800 – Plastics — Specifications for plastics suitable for home composting (France); prEN 17427 (2020) - Packaging — Requirements and test scheme for carrier bags suitable for treatment in well-managed home composting installations (Europe) and AS 5810 (2010) – Biodegradable plastics - Biodegradable plastics suitable for home composting (Australia).

Reference: TÜV AUSTRIA
Certification issued by TÜV AUSTRIA BELGIUM. All components of products and packaging with the OK Compost INDUSTRIAL label, including inks and additives, are suitable for composting at an industrial facility. Because it is based on European EN 13432:2000 requirements for the composting and biodegradation of packaging, all products with this label comply with European Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and waste.

Reference: TÜV AUSTRIA
A manufacturing process in which production begins only after receiving a confirmed order.

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 has created vast new possibilities in numerous sectors. Thanks to smart automation and data analysis, production is directly connected to the end customer’s requirements. In the fashion sector, Industry 4.0 enables flexible production that can be rapidly modified to meet demand. Because only confirmed orders are fulfilled, there is no excess inventory.

References:
Tekyn
Paris Good Fashion
Process in which products, components or materials are recycled for uses distinct from those for which they were originally intended, e.g., recycling a plastic bottle into fleece or recycling paper into insulation.

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

Reference: Ademe
Voluntary standard developed by Textile Exchange that uses third-party certification to verify that a final product contains the accurate amount of an organically grown material. It does not address the use of chemicals or any social or environmental aspects of production beyond the integrity of the organic content. The OCS uses the chain of custody requirements of the Content Claim Standard.

Reference: Textile Exchange
A system of food production within a clearly defined, regulated and controlled framework.

European Council Regulation (EC) n°834/2007 sets out rules governing the production, transformation, distribution, importation, control and labelling of organic products. It applies to plant, livestock and aquaculture production. Its principles respect “natural systems and cycles and sustain and enhance the health of soil, water, plants, animals and the balance between them”, for example through crop rotation, the choice of varieties that are appropriate to the site and climate, and a ban on battery cages and crating.

Textiles and cosmetics are not included in the EU regulatory framework, which is limited to agricultural products (in particular, unprocessed agricultural products or processed agricultural products for use as food). However, if a textile or cosmetic contains one or more organically grown and certified components, this can be identified as such in the labelling (e.g. t-shirt made from organically grown cotton).

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The list of authorised fertilizers and pesticides excludes chemical fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides. Production, transformation and importation are subject to controls by competent authorities. In France, these organisations are State-approved for their independence, neutrality, effectiveness and competence. Prior to approval, these organisations must be accredited by the Comité Français d'Accréditation (COFRAC). Certified organic agricultural products are identified by the AB label (“agriculture biologique”) in France and by the European Eurofeuille label.

References:
Council of the European Union No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation
French Ministry of Agriculture
For a product to be labelled organic, it must be produced, stored, processed, handled and sold in compliance with precise specifications (standards) then validated by a certification body. There can be no use of synthetic chemicals or GMOs and only limited use of inputs.

Only the agricultural components of a product can be described as “organic”, not the product itself.

Currently France has no regulations governing organic certification of non-agricultural, non-food products, although some private, voluntary initiatives provide for incorporating certified organic ingredients into products.

See: Organic farming

References: 
Kering Standards
French Ministry of Agriculture
French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry (2012) Guide pratique des allégations environnementales à l'usage des professionnels et des consommateurs
Measure of the environmental performance of a goods/services provider, developed by the European Union with the purpose of reducing the environmental impacts of the provider's activities.

Criteria consider activity across the supply chain from the sourcing of raw materials, through production and use to final waste management.

Reference: European Commission
Traceability initiative - officially introduced to the French National Assembly on May 19, 2011 and managed by Pro France - which provides consumers with a clear and objective indication of a product’s origins in France. At least 50% of unit production cost must originate in France and the product must derive its essential characteristics in France. Any company producing in France can apply for the mark, which is awarded by an accredited certification organisation following an audit.

References:
Origine France Garantie
French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry