In an age where e-commerce is more accessible than ever, it is necessary to question ethical concerns among the hundreds of options available for online shopping. Many websites have gravitated towards apps that can be downloaded on phones and other smart devices, which further heightens convenience for consumers. In a time when the pandemic launched a nationwide lockdown, online shopping became an increasingly efficient way for consumers to order necessary products online and continue to fuel the economy. However, fast fashion sites like Shein which have flourished during this time have raised an alarming number of ethical and regulatory concerns. Shein, representing nearly a third of the fast fashion market in the United States, will only continue to expand under these harmful practices. This recent growth of success makes it essential for Shein consumers to obtain a better understanding of how their products are made and the various violations that the company continues to overlook.

Before delving into the ethical and regulatory concerns of Shein, it is essential to give a brief overview of the company. The fast fashion shopping service has become astonishingly popular among younger Generation Z consumers, primarily due to significantly low product pricing. Further, Shein is the most mentioned Tik Tok brand on the market, far surpassing Netflix which places in second (Marthe de Ferrer). Thus, with the target audience of the social media platform Tik Tok primarily being Generation Z, it is valid that they will instantly be captivated by the low product pricing and overlook the alarming number of labor violation cases and chemical regulation concerns. However, the market will continue to thrive as Shein is in the process of heading to the stock market. With a wider reach than ever and a large number of prospective investors, it is now more prominent than ever to become aware of the company’s downfalls.

In recent content on Tik Tok involving Shein, consumers have claimed to find shocking discoveries within packages. In one Tik Tok video, content creator “Kira Jayde” shows a video of their Shein package with the word “help” penciled in on the label in capital letters. While it is unclear if this was actually done by a worker in the factory or fabricated by the content creator, it certainly created a stir about the company’s labor practices and has led to more creators making videos on the matter. In the article “Shein Is Worse Than You Thought”, Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz explains that in one of the Chinese fast-fashion factories, 

“Channel 4 [U.K. broadcasting channel] found that workers receive a base salary of 4,000 yuan per month — roughly $556 — to make 500 pieces of clothing per day and that their first month’s pay is withheld from them; in another factory, workers received the equivalent of four cents per item. Workers in both factories were working up to 18-hour days and were given only one day off a month. In one factory, the outlet found women washing their hair during lunch breaks, and workers were penalized two-thirds of their daily wage if they made a mistake on a clothing item” (Singh-Kurtz). 

This statement ultimately highlights the ethical concerns of labor surrounding the company. The extreme work hours lead workers to bathe on breaks, and they are barely able to earn a livable wage. The working conditions and hours are in direct violation of China’s labor laws, yet the company continues to successfully sell products . 

Another ethical concern Shein poses includes astonishingly high rates of carbon emission. According to the Time Magazine article “Shein Is the World’s Most Popular Fashion Brand- at a Huge Cost to Us All”, “The company leaves about 6.3 million tons of carbon dioxide a year in its trail—a number that falls well below the 45% target to reduce global carbon emissions by 2030, which the U.N. has said is necessary for fashion companies to implement to help limit global warming” (Astha Rajvanshi et al.). This remarkably high number of carbon dioxide emissions not only highlights the toll that Shein is taking on the environment at a global scale, but also recognizes the massive overproduction of clothing that will inevitably turn up in landfills. According to Shein CEO Molly Miao, the company continues to release 700-1,000 clothing items every day despite the ongoing climate crisis (Elton). Ultimately, it is clear that this threat is recognized yet overlooked, which will inevitably contribute to the decline of the quality of the environment. 

More concerns with Shein include violations of global regulations in both Europe and the United States. One major issue that has been brought to light is the amount of hazardous chemicals found in the company’s clothes. In the article “Shein: Fast Fashion Giant’s Clothes Breach Chemical Regulations, Greenpeace Claim”, Charlotte Elton states, 

“EU Environmental campaign group Greenpeace Germany has accused Shein of Breaching EU Chemical laws- ‘clothes sold by Shein contain hazardous chemicals breaching EU regulations’. In a study conducted by Greenpeace on 47 Shein products, 15% had hazardous chemicals, which raise health concerns on both the environment and the consumers” (Elton).

This statement highlights the effects the quality of Shein’s products can have on the average consumer. The use of toxic chemicals within the clothing not only poses a threat to the consumer, but contains levels which are well above the legal limit in Europe. This immensely concerning evidence is something that Shein’s consumers should be aware of in order to actively seek more sustainable products. 

Furthermore, the various types of toxic chemicals found in Shein products are incredibly alarming. In a study conducted by Greenpeace, findings concluded that there were extremely high levels of phthalates (which according to the National Institute of Health, are detrimental to human reproductive, neurological, and developmental systems) in shoes and formaldehyde in a baby’s dress (Elton).  This is both a health violation and a legal violation in Europe. The exposure of these chemicals can lead to discomfort, and in more extreme cases, permanent damage. Ultimately, this is an issue that is reaching more global recognition, and the efforts to end Shein’s practices continue to develop. 

Another regulatory concern with the fast fashion company has been voiced by the United States congress. In the article “As Shein and Temu Take Off, So Does The Scrutiny”, Michelle Toh and Nathanial Myersohn claim, “Earlier this month, congressional commission called out Shein and Temu in a report that suggested the companies and others in China were potentially linked to the use of forced labor, exploitation of trade loopholes, product safety hazards or intellectual property theft” (Toh, et al.). Fast fashion companies like Shein ultimately violate various American laws regarding labor, trade, product safety hazards, and copyright. This has urged congress to suggest a ban on the company in the U.S.. As a result of the brand’s massive growth in revenue and popularity, this movement came to fruition at an incredibly rapid pace. While the decision still remains unclear, noting that Shein violates many United States laws certainly raises concerns.

Additionally, notes from the commission to ban Shein have recently been released this March. According to PR NewsWire, the commission to ban the company claims, 

“SHEIN is shipping billions of dollars worth of merchandise into America but because each account holder is the “importer of record,” SHEIN avoids the tariffs that every other legitimate business must pay. This not only allows SHEIN to evade U.S. tariffs, but also shifts the legal responsibility to prove the products are not produced using slave labor to the U.S. consumer, mostly young American women” (PR NewsWire).

Through this statement, the commission notes that the fast fashion company is avoiding tariffs that must be paid by any other business that is either in the U.S. or outside the U.S. Shein is further making an attempt to cover up illegal labor practices through this process, and taking advantage of young, unknowing consumers. Ultimately, the legal violations are prominent and certainly pose a threat to U.S. laws.

Overall, Shein has become a massive success in the fast fashion industry, yet at the expense of flawed ethics and illegal activity. The concerns that the company poses are extremely significant for consumers to be aware of when considering their personal well being, the state of the environment, and the ongoing legal violations that affect factory workers and multiple countries as a whole. As the company begins to capitalize on stock market investments, it is more essential now than ever for consumers to know how their products are being produced and how they are reaching them. While congress’s plan to ban Shein remains unclear, the company may be forced to update policies regarding clothing material and labor practices. Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to make educated decisions on sustainable shopping while fast fashion companies like Shein continue to expand.

Works Cited

Elton, Charlotte. “Shein’s Clothes Contain ‘Hazardous Chemicals,’ Greenpeace Claim.” EuroNews, EuroNews, 25 Nov. 2022, https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/11/25/shein-fast-fashion-giants-clothes-breach-eu-chemical-regulations-greenpeace-claim .

Ferrer, Marthe de. “How Are Shein Hauls Making Our Planet Unlivable?” Euronews, 17 Oct. 2022, https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/10/17/how-are-shein-hauls-making-our-planet-unlivable .

Rajvanshi, Astha, et al. “Shein’s Fast Fashion Domination Comes at a High Cost.” Time, Time, 17 Jan. 2023, https://time.com/6247732/shein-climate-change-labor-fashion/ .

SHEIN, Shut Down. “Coalition Launches to ‘Shut down Shein,” Protect Americans from Foreign Influence.” PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing, 23 Mar. 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coalition-launches-to-shut-down-shein-protect-americans-from-foreign-influence-301779464.html .

Singh-Kurtz, Sangeeta. “Shein Is Even Worse Than You Thought.” The Cut, 17 Oct. 2022, https://www.thecut.com/2022/10/shein-is-treating-workers-even-worse-than-you-thought.html 

Toh, Michelle, and Nathaniel Meyersohn. “’Too Good to Be True?’ as Shein and Temu Take off, so Does the Scrutiny | CNN Business.” CNN, Cable News Network, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/23/tech/temu-shein-us-concerns-intl-hnk/index.html .

Wang, Yufei, and Haifeng Qian. “Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health.” Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 May 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8157593/#:~:text=Phthalates%2C%20as%20endocrine%2Ddisrupting%20chemicals,and%20more%20vulnerable%20to%20phthalates .