What is fast fashion and why is it still a hotly debated topic? According to Investopedia.com, Fast fashion is a term used to describe clothing designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores that take advantage of trends. Because of this process, it became common for cheaper, speedier manufacturing and shipping methods to appear in fashion today. Zara and H&M are one of the most common examples of fast fashion, but one company stands out above the rest: Shein.
“We know we have a responsibility to safeguard the welfare of workers in our supply chain. In light of the recent report in the news, we launched an investigation into the claim that two of our suppliers had unacceptable working conditions at their facilities,” Shein admitted in an interview with TIME magazine.
Even though Shein has tried to calm the storm with their statement, they still are infamous for making their workers work long hours with little pay. According to Inside the Shein Machine by Channel4, they sent undercover cameras to film factory workers who were forced to pull 17-hour shifts to make hundreds of garments a day. In one factory, they made a daily base salary for 20 dollars which is not livable wage.
Shein was also found out to be stealing designs from small businesses and producing offensive items. This has prompted many small businesses to come out with lawsuits against Shein.
“Shein has grown rich by committing individual infringements over and over again as part of a long and continuous pattern of racketeering which shows no sign of abating,” their lawyers allege.
Overall, Shein is the embodiment of fast fashion in this day and age. Even though Shein is a relatively new business, it continues to do one controversial thing after another. Having unpaid workers and stealing from other businesses is something a big company like Shein can’t ever come back from. People should realize that these stores do not care about their needs. There are other ways to shop cheaply and also help the environment and people around you.
