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)

Initiative of United Nations agencies designed to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals through coordinated action in the fashion sector.

Reference: UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion
The collective voice of the textile industry in France. UIT is an umbrella organisation for 23 regional and sectorial bodies which together represent 2,200 companies across the production chain. UIT’s priorities are to redeploy textile activity in France, to strengthen national coordination through its growth drivers, and to promote the image of a sector that combines innovation with environmental and social responsibility.

References:
Union des Industries Textiles
Crystalchain
Trade association comprising Fédération Française des Industries du Vêtement Masculin (FFIVM), Fédération Française du Prêt-à-Porter Féminin (FFPPF), Fédération des Industries Diverses de l’Habillement (FIDH) and 13 regional syndicates. UFIMH represents fashion and clothing businesses, and promotes their expertise and the prestige of French fashion internationally.

Reference: Union française des Industries de la mode et de l’habillement
British standard BS 8001:2017 defines upcycling as the “process of converting secondary raw materials/by‑products into new materials, components or products of better quality, improved functionality and/or a higher value”.

The upcycled object can be said to have been recycled if, prior to upcycling, it was categorised as waste and underwent a recycling process as described in article L541-1-1 of the French Environmental Code.

References:
BS 8001:2017 - Circular Economy
French Environmental Code - Article L541-1-1