France issued a unique scheme to encourage its people to participate in reducing the risk of environmental damage and climate change. The country will introduce a scheme that will subsidize the repair of clothing and shoes to reduce waste and pollution from the textile industry. The scheme announced by the secretary of state for ecology Bérangère Couillard, France offers assistance varying from 6 euros to 25 euros for the repair of clothes and shoes, depending on the complexity of the repair. For example, a simple piece of re-stitching will receive a subsidy of 6 euros, while repairing a pair of shoes will be offered for 25 euros.

"This could encourage people who have purchased, for example, shoes from a brand that makes good quality shoes or good quality ready-to-wear to want to repair them rather than throw them away," Couillard told a news conference.

"And that's the goal, to create a circular economy for shoes and textiles so that products last longer, because in government we believe in the second life of a product," he explained.

Couillard also revealed that the textile industry in France will be responsible for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with textiles known as the second most polluting industry in the world.

"What I hope is that France will realize what we can see, namely the impact of the textile industry around the world today," he said. "So that they themselves can realize deviations from the way we consume now," he added.

The French ministry of ecology has also instructed a private organization called Refashion to start the scheme.

Tailors, clothing brands and workshops can join the initiative free of charge through Refashion, which will collect a small green contribution from sales to cover subsidies.

However, the government will not be funding the scheme, which is scheduled to start in October.

For customers, subsidies will be taken directly from their bills. Refashion will then arrange for companies that apply to the scheme to be returned within 15 days.