Over the course of ten years, I have written extensively on issues of access and privilege in the sustainable and ethical fashion world. That's different than shopping hauls that lead to OVER-consumption, especially from a brand like Shein, where items are often so flimsy that they break down after a few uses. I shop from some fast fashion companies, too, often because clothing fits better and is more in line with my budget. Yes, all people need access to clothing, and it is COMPLETELY fine, and even good, for people to shop fast fashion for what they need, like, and will use. This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
It forces us to slow our consumption for a more sustainable lifestyle. They’re more expensive, but that’s a good thing. The very best one is shopping secondhand! Try Poshmark, Depop, Mercari, or Ebay online, or shop at local thrift and consignment stores.īut if that’s not your thing, the below brands offer similar, forward-thinking styles, but with ethics and sustainability in mind. It’s safe to say that Shein is neither sustainable nor ethical.Įthical and Sustainable Alternatives to Sheinįortunately, there are ethical alternatives. In addition to encouraging an unsustainable, fast fashion model, Shein has come under fire for all sorts of other issues related to ethical design, labor, and customer interactions.ġ | Shein is known to steal from other designers, including from small businesses and BIPOC designers.Ģ | Workers at Shein’s factories have reported working for 12 hours a day and 75 hours a week, often in crowded, residential buildings with poor safety regulations.ģ | Wages are lower in Shein’s factories than in comparable factories in China.Ĥ | Some Shein products contain offensive symbols and images associated with hate crimes.ĥ | The Shein app has come under fire for intrusive data tracking. We cannot afford for fashion to be single-use. Plus, since many of Shein’s products are made with polyester, they are shedding microfibers into our waterways and likely impacting human health. Producing even one garment involves a huge amount of resources, from growing cotton to weaving to manufacturing. This creates a cycle of throwaway fashion that is environmentally unsustainable. While trend cycles used to occur in 5-10 year blocks, fast fashion has created a monster! Now, there are at least 52 trend cycles per year, with more popping up spontaneously. Of course, once consumers have actually made a purchase, these items are only weeks away from losing their cultural significance. Since fashion-conscious, Gen-Z consumers are their target market, TikTok has been a major source of revenue.
One articles states that the brand can produce a new garment, from design concept to finishing, in only 3 days! Once the item is produced, Shein works with influencers to market their products. Shein’s business model focuses on identifying trends and micro-trends as soon as possible in order to capture a significant share of the market. Shein is Fast Fashionįast Fashion: an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers ( Source). After making significant supply chain improvements, Shein now adds thousands of new products to their site each week (1,000 per day!). Shein purchased Romwe in 2014, and acquired the team to start producing its own branded garments. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, he has a background in SEO optimization. The founder, Chris Xu, has no formal training in fashion. Founded in 2008, Shein originally purchased its hyper-trendy clothing from the markets in Guangzhou, China. Shein (pronounced She-In) is the reigning queen of e-commerce. Thus, the need for ethical alternatives to Shein. A history of labor abuses and a business model that encourages mass overconsumption makes Shein an all-around bad choice. While Shein is undeniably popular, it is anything but boutique.
#CHEAP CLOTHES WEBSITES LIKE SHEIN FULL#
On a recent trip to Goodwill, I was horrified to discover that almost their entire “boutique” section was full of Shein. Photo by Lucas Queiroz on Ethical Alternatives to Shein
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