Having access to an e-commerce website that sells trendy clothes and up-to-date gadgets, with price tags averaging under $10, makes Shein a go-to destination for shopping on a budget. I remember looking for inexpensive bathing suits last year for a girl’s trip to Las Vegas. I had about $12 to spare after booking the hotel, and it seemed like Shein was the only option. After hours of swimwear searching, I gave up and ordered a cool-looking suit off of the website. It came, fit fine, and I’ll probably never wear it again.

So, what’s the problem with the story I just shared? I don’t even know where to start. Instead of getting tangled in its web of horrors, I’ve outlined my 2 greatest concerns around Shein’s negative impact on the world and its operations.

Fast fashion is destroying the environment.

“I’ll probably never wear it again.” This is a much scarier sentence than its first impression yields. Imagine a large sorority at your nearest large university, filled with college-aged girls that stay current with the trends. Imagine they all buy a new top from Shein with a cool, hip style. Now, imagine 4 months later when they realize the quality of the shirt lasted them throughout the season but it’s not really “in” anymore anyways, so they all get rid of it. OK, now, imagine all of the sororities at that nearby institution partaking in a similar behavior. Now, imagine similar behavior, nationwide. That’s a lot of low quality shirts. Where do they go? Salvation Army and Goodwill are potential options, but fast fashion clothing isn’t made to last, and it’s only a matter of time before the cloth hits the can. On top of this, these low quality articles of clothing are heavily manufactured using synthetic fabrics, thus, leaving our closets quickly but withstanding lifespans on a landfill up to decades long.

Their workshops are violating labor laws— in multiple ways.

Shein’s ability to produce such a large amount of low-quality products in such a short amount of time is a quality of the retail store that comes at the price of its underpaid, overworked employees. Guangzhou, a city on the southern coast of China, is home to numerous workshops where Shein products are made. BBC reported on some of the inhumane expectations that the workshops held to its workers, including 75-hour work weeks, allowing for only 1 day off per month, a theme of clocking in 3 work shifts per day, and other violations of the production sites’ local labor laws. Despite these breaches of human rights regulations, an investigation into these workplaces hasn’t been found. I genuinely believe that this only the tip of the iceberg, and the lives of these workers are being taken from under them with their means to live being dangled over their heads. Personally, I don’t feel that the latest fad in fashion is worth ripping away human’s rights to happiness — even if they aren’t being heard and don’t live next-door. What if it was you? Your siblings? What if it was your daughter? I hope this haunting insight may cause you to think twice before checking out another cheap Shein haul.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59245708