(Tiranjini Pillai / Daily Titan)
Shein, a Chinese online fashion retailer, was founded in 2012 and is well-known for its chic shopping platform that allows you to find trendy styles at affordable prices. There are a wide variety of clothing pieces you can add to your shopping cart. The company has been around for a decade but its popularity has exploded due to the viral clothing hauls of social media influencers. But consumers should stop buying Sheins clothing because they aren’t timeless.
Sheins website says that everyone should have access to fashion’s beauty, not just those who are wealthy. Their revenue was almost $16 million in 2021, a 60% increase on 2020. Sheins cutting edge technology, which is cheap and produces at a rapid pace to make their increasing profits, greatly magnifies the environmental damage.
Sheins prices are shockingly low at as low as $4. Which can often leave consumers wondering what’s the catch.
Shein ignores the real danger in mass-producing cheap, fast fashion clothing. As fashion trends fade, the clothing items are quickly thrown out in the trash.
Treehugger reports that the average American purchases 70 pieces of clothing annually. Because of fast fashion, consumers are more inclined to purchase cheap clothing. Shein can release new clothing frequently instead of following a strict seasonal schedule like many fashion brands. People are easily attracted to trendy and inexpensive items that they may not find elsewhere. However, their impulsive shopping habits can be detrimental to environmental conservation.
Global pollution is a result of fast fashion companies. Textile dyes are the second-largest polluter. Columbia Climate School says fast fashion contributes significantly to climate change, water pollution, and microplastic pollution. The article claims that fast fashion contributes to 10% of human-caused global greenhouse gas emissions and 20% to global wastewater pollution. Furthermore, it uses more energy than the aviation or shipping sectors.
Although Shein makes trendy clothing very quickly, most people throw it away because of its poor quality. Although the clothing may seem stylish and flattering, they are not made to last. This is Shein’s way of capitalizing on the latest trends. The clothing isn’t made from high quality materials so it would be difficult for them to be donated. They wouldn’t be in good condition when the trend ends.
According to Molly Miao, Shein releases 700-1,000 new styles every day in a Forbes interview. According to Shein’s website, Shein has a wide selection of options to suit every mood and occasion. Many of the clothes are made with fabrics like nylon and polyester, which are not biodegradable.
Shein is also contributing to huge environmental damage. Shein doesn’t disclose their production process. Shein overworked their suppliers by giving them a 75-hour work week. This violates Chinese labor laws. Many of their workers are subject to low wages and poor working conditions. Shein’s unethical labor practices enable them to turn a profitable profit. Sheins clothing is a profit-making venture that exploits its workers.
There are many clothing retailers and brands that promote sustainability that people should shop from, such as Levis, Adidas, and Reformation. Levis claims that they aim to have 100% sustainably sourced cotton and 100% renewable energy in their own and operated facilities by 2025. Levis has saved over 4.2 billion liters since the introduction of their Water Reduction Program.
Another great way that consumers can practice sustainability is by buying clothes from thrift stores. There are many neat thrift stores near Cal State Fullerton, like Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill and Uptown Cheapskate. There are also online thrift stores like ThredUp and Thrifted.com. You can also contribute to sustainability by donating any clothes you don’t wear.
Thrifting is an eco-friendly practice that reduces air pollution and energy consumption. Unlike the online fast fashion giant, thrift shopping helps keep clothes out of landfills.
