Is SHEIN sustainable?

The unCOSHious fashion giant SHEIN, synonymous with unbeatably low prices, operates a vast online empire delivering ultra-fast fashion globally from China. Despite lacking physical storefronts, the brand boasts an estimated annual turnover exceeding 10 billion dollars. Yet, beneath the allure of affordability and speed lies an ethical and ecological disaster. Explore the impact of this retail behemoth on the environment and its workforce, and understand the real cost of fast fashion.

SHEIN’s astonishing output, introducing around 6,000 new designs daily, relies heavily on collaborations with small-scale manufacturers, predominantly in China. These manufacturers often do not provide formal contracts, leaving workers without essential insurance or social security protections. Despite these concerns, SHEIN maintains secrecy over its specific manufacturing locations and practices.

COSH! and other advocates for sustainable and ethical fashion remain deeply concerned about the overall working conditions at factories associated with SHEIN. The disparity between the brand’s commercial success and questionable ethical stance poses significant challenges to consumers and stakeholders advocating for more responsible fashion industry practices.

Someone is Paying: The True Cost of Fast Fashion

Public Eye’s investigations revealed unsafe working conditions, underpaid labour, and excessive working hours, which might be construed as indirect forced labour in SHEIN’s supply chain, where the worker is not paid by the hour but by the garment. This links employees’ earnings directly to their production speed, leading to scenarios where workers may toil for up to 13 hours a day or 75 hours a week without the assurance of securing a living wage. This demanding schedule emphasises quantity over well-being, placing undue pressure on individuals in the production line.

SHEIN’s rapid-fire fashion production launches 6,000 new items daily, leveraging a network of small to micro-scale manufacturers primarily based in China. Often, these enterprises consist of merely one or two workers, lacking formal contracts, leaving employees bereft of insurance, social security, or any protective measures. The opacity of SHEIN’s manufacturing sites further exacerbates concerns about the welfare of these workers. Therefore, COSH! remains highly sceptical about the overall working conditions in factories producing for SHEIN.

Fast Fashion’s Death Grip on Earth

SHEIN’s ultra-fast fashion business model significantly contributes to environmental degradation through its exhaustive production, global distribution, and resultant waste. The brand often employs environmentally damaging materials like polyester and polyamide in its collections. These economical options are notorious for discharging microplastics into our oceans and ecosystems throughout their lifecycle, exacerbating the already critical issue of plastic pollution.

SHEIN clothing is almost exclusively made of material blends comprising mostly synthetic fibres. This makes the garments difficult to recycle. In an attempt to address these concerns, SHEIN introduced ​‘EvoluSHEIN’, a line heralded to be more sustainable, featuring materials such as Ecovero viscose from Lenzing. This particular viscose is produced in a closed-loop process, ensuring no harmful chemicals are released into the environment, and is sourced from sustainably managed forests. While using such materials marks a step in the right direction, the reality of SHEIN’s vast production scale means that the positive impact is diluted. Incorporating these materials into just a fraction of their products does little to offset the broader environmental harm caused by their operations.

The ​‘EvoluSHEIN’ line also includes recycled polyester, labelled a greener alternative to new synthetic materials. However, the recycled textile industry is riddled with claims of fraudulent practices, casting doubt on the true sustainability of these garments.

Furthermore, researchers Ilkan Ozkan and Sedat Gundogdu (2020) indicate that garments made from recycled polyester may release even more microplastics than those made from virgin polyester due to shorter fibre lengths during wear and wash.

While SHEIN has taken some steps towards establishing CSR, such as donating $50 million to The Or Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Ghana that addresses textile waste, they still have a long way to go. Although this donation sees SHEIN taking (partial) EPR (extended producer responsibility) for the staggering textile waste problem as a producer by setting up an EPR (extended producer responsibility).

However, its high production rate continues to contribute to the textile waste problem, and the donation alone is not enough to solve the issue. To take responsibility and reduce waste, SHEIN must take concrete actions to produce less waste and minimise its environmental impact. After all, pollution cannot simply be bought away.

A Distant Turbo Production and Its Environmental Cost 

SHEIN’s operations are shrouded in secrecy, with a distinct lack of transparency in its supply chain. Investigations by organisations like Public Eye indicate that much of its production is centred in China and other Asian countries. Consequently, the garments embark on long-distance journeys to reach international consumers, often being air-shipped to meet the demand for rapid delivery. Despite the ecological footprint, consumers are enticed with low to no shipping costs of a mere 4,50 €, and the ease of returns only contributes to the cycle of consumption and waste. The low effort and cost of keeping unworn clothes further perpetuate a culture of excess.

Animal Welfare

While SHEIN is taking strides towards eliminating animal products from its collections, switching to alternatives like synthetic PU leather is not without environmental repercussions. Furthermore, these materials contribute to microplastic pollution and other environmental harms. Therefore, the brand’s journey towards animal welfare and sustainable practices is fraught with complexities that consumers should know.

Fast Fashion and Longevity Don’t Go Together

SHEIN epitomises the fast fashion model, rapidly translating online trends into products with a turnaround time of just three days. Coupled with low prices and perpetual sales, the quality often suffers, leading to a shorter lifespan for the clothes, accelerating the journey to landfills and promoting a disposable fashion culture. Additionally, the brand’s speed and scale often outdo its competitors, sometimes at the cost of originality, with allegations of design plagiarism not uncommon.

…And Neither Do Fast Fashion and Transparency.

Transparency is another area where SHEIN falls short. A gaping void of information about production locations, material origins, manufacturer audits, or supportive certifications raises significant concerns. Shein has repeatedly come under pressure for potentially being linked to forced labour. Reports by Public Eye even suggest that the safety of those investigating working conditions is at risk, further cloaking the realities of the production process in secrecy.

SHEIN: The ​“unCOSHious” Choice You Should Avoid When Shopping

At first glance, SHEIN’s sustainability goals and pledges appear commendable. However, upon closer examination, they lack substance and clarity. The brand extensively promotes its ​‘more sustainable’ collection, yet these claims remain largely unsubstantiated without the necessary transparency and robust data. At COSH!, there’s a call for more openness and tangible evidence to back any sustainability assertions. 

Consumers should remain cautious and critical of industry giants that have embraced sustainability. Particularly in the case of SHEIN, known for its rapid and cost-efficient production, scepticism is warranted until substantial progress and genuine commitment are demonstrated.

Want to discover brands that are more aligned with COSHious values? Have a look at our shopping guide or check our latest articles to find inspiration for your next mindful purchase!