Enough is Enough - Shein
By Hannah Schmidt-Rees
I don’t think there’s anyone that hasn’t heard of Shein. Whether its ‘Shein Hauls’ on TikTok, or random ads on social media, it’s obvious to see what Shein is; fast fashion at its ‘finest’.
Founded in 2012, Shein is one of the biggest online fast fashion retailers. Available in over 150 countries, contracting 5,400 manufacturers, employing 11,000 employees and with head offices in 19 countries, Shein has grown excessively over their lifetime, combining western capitalism with the ‘efficiency’ of Chinese production. Here’s a few facts;
On average, Shein adds at least 2,000 new products to its online store everyday.
They have 74 million shoppers, with 14 million in the US alone.
In 2022, the Shein app was downloaded 200 million times.
In 2019, Shein was valued at $5 billion, in 2022, Shein was valued at $100 billion, more than H&M and Zara combined in that year.
Along the same lines, Shein grew from $3 billion in 2019, to $30 billion in 2022.
In 2022, #sheinhaul videos on Tiktok were viewed 4.8 billion times.
On a random day in October 2021, 369,264 products were concurrently available on the Shein website.
Shein’s parent company, Zoetop, produces 1.2 million articles of clothing every day.
The average Shein consumer spends $100 per month on clothing, which is 60% higher than the average US consumer.
On average, Shein produces 314,877 new styles per year, compared to H&M’s estimated 4,414 products per year.
Shein has streamlined the fast fashion process – a direct correlation to their immense success. Utilising different online algorithms, Shein identifies nascent trends and sends small orders to suppliers, to produce 100-200 units of each style in a manner of days (the maximum being a week). If the design sells well, production is continued, if not, production is ceased. This quick timeline from becoming popular online and being available to buy online is the crux of fast fashion, capitalising on quick trends, social media and consumerism to make the most profit out of a garment that will become ‘off-trend’ in a matter of weeks. This business model reinforces the short lifespan of garments, encouraging waste and impulse buying, as most garments are between $2.50 and $130, with an average of about $20. These online algorithms also results in many other designer’s products being ripped off and reproduced (mostly exactly) for a lower price, which is especially harmful from small creators. See more information on this issue here.
Fast fashion often comes with a few common questions. Here’s where Shein fits in with all of this;
Labour
All Shein products are made in China and shipped worldwide. An undercover investigation in October of 2022 revealed that workers work every day of the week, taking 18-hour shifts, making 500 pieces of clothing per day for only $18 AUD per day (on average). They only get one day per month off (which is illegal under Chinese law). Allegedly, two thirds of their daily pay is docked if they make a mistake on a garment. This is $1 per hour and $0.03 per garment. Most employees don’t have employment contracts either, meaning no social security contributions. Shein has never directly commented on these reports, only claiming that they ‘never engage in child or forced labour’ and never providing specifics about their factories, only making a general comment of a ‘safe, fair and happy work environment.’
In 2021, Shein admitted to 83% of their 700 audited (out of 5,000+) factories being under the standard for performance. With at least one issue needing ‘corrective action’, these issues include; Working hours (14%), General working environment (8%), Workplace safety (7%) and Fire and emergency preparedness (27%).
Sustainability
Shein chooses to disclose some aspects of their sustainability, with ‘the power to envision a better future and the desire to speed towards it’. Whilst committing to various sustainable practices; reducing GHG emissions, more sustainable fabrics and construction processes. Providing more depth in their 2022 Sustainability Social Impact Report, Shein touches on environmental, social and governmental approach to a better future. For their Carbon Footprint section, Shein states that between 2021 and 2022, their production volume and GHG emissions increased by 57% and 52% respectively. But since only 1% of these emissions are from Shein’s corporate offices, with the remaining 99% coming from Shein’s supply chain partners, it’s apparently not Shein’s problem.
Health & Safety
In 2021, the University of Toronto conducted an experiment that tested 38 different products from Shein. One in five items contained high levels of potentially dangerous chemicals; lead, phthalates and PFAS. These can have an affect on someone’s health, including; increased risk of cancer, birth affects, increased blood pressure, asthma, and reproductive issues. In July 2021, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of thousands of Shein’s children’s sleepwear, as they violated the federal flammability standard, meaning an increased chance of burns and injuries.
The main reason why I wanted to write this article was due to the failed influencer trip in June 2023. A group of influencers were invited on a brand trip to China, touring one of the brand’s factories and ‘Innovation Centre’. The content created from this trip received backlash online, with many claiming that this content was a highly staged PR-like event to recover Shein’s image. One of the influencers is quoted on her TikTok video saying “They weren’t even sweating, we were the ones sweating” (referring to the garment workers) and “Look how nice this place is, no labour law infringements here! The workers are happy, they told me themselves! Shein is great! I can say this because I did my own independent investigation!”. The entire thing is unnerving, the audacity of a brand like Shein to advertise a false version of their operations under the guise of ‘transparency’.
Screenshots from the branded Shein trip. Looks quite different from the average Shein factory, right?
Shein is smart. I’ll give them that. Its alluring to buy 14 items for $80 USD, rather than one item for the same price. You can have a new dress for a special event or your new social media post for the same cost as your daily lunch. Its alluring, I understand why so many people buy so much, but enough is enough. We’re reaching a point of no return. The success of Shein breeds competitors, as new and existing companies (Amazon and Walmart included) attempt to copy this fast-moving business model. The issue grows, landfills expand, more workers get exploited, the environment suffers and consumers get used to this fast progression of ‘buy, wear and dispose’. If you are interested in more sustainable choices, read my article here.
Enough is enough. Your $8 shirt isn’t worth it. Buy something else better somewhere else. Or, don’t buy anything at all. It’s not that hard.