ARE FAST FASHION WORKERS BEGGING FOR HELP AT SHEIN?

Fast fashion industry giant SHEIN, notable for their trendy clothing offered at mysteriously low prices, has recently been dragged into a controversy regarding the living conditions of their factory workers. As the most popular internet fast fashion retailer, the company was valued earlier this year in 2022 at over $100 billion dollars, exceeding both Zara and H&M combined.

Despite discussions on the unethical practices of SHEIN including multiple cases of stolen designs, massive environmental damage, and presumed slave labor, it remains one of the top global fashion retailers for teens.

Recently, customers have grown increasingly concerned as a handful of TikTok creators posted videos of photo compilations containing images of fast fashion tags and packaging with concerning hidden messages from factory workers.

One video on TikTok posted in May with over 6.5 million likes featured a care tag that read "I have dental pain," a printed mailing slip reading "HELP ME," and a handwritten note that read "SOS! SOS! SOS!" just to name a few.

Additionally, another image of a care tag has been circulating throughout the internet with the phrase "need your help," hidden between the washing instructions of the tag. This tag has become the center of the argument, with varying opinions on the meaning.

It can not be implied that this tag explicitly refers to the horrible working conditions of factories. Many interpret this tag as harmless, interpreting that washing with a soft detergent helps soften the clothing for a more comfortable wear. However, others take this phrase seriously as there are grammatical errors and the phrase does not make sense in terms of the care instructions. The majority argue that the phrase "need your help" was purposely inserted as an attempt for workers to send secret messages to their customers.

SHEIN has responded to these allegations with a TikTok claiming that their intention with the tag mentioned above was to "remind customers to help soften this fabric using a softener when washing the garment for the first time."

The company also defended claims of presumed slave labor by mentioning that their "strict code of conduct" for suppliers forbids all forced labor.

In a corresponding TikTok, SHEIN also argued that surfacing images of tag photos were actually from other companies. The packaging reading "HELP ME" was actually not from SHEIN, but from Romwe, another Chinese fast fashion brand. The tag sewn with the phrase "I have dental pain" appears to be completely unrelated with SHEIN, originating from Reddit eight years ago. The slip of paper reading "SOS! SOS! SOS!" was actually discovered by a customer that ordered from Primark, an Ireland based fast fashion retailer.

Despite SHEIN's claims defending these allegations, there is no evidence proving that the company is actually transparent about its supply chain and the conditions of their workers.

As stated on the company's website, all of SHEIN's clothing is made in China, where various sources have revealed that forced, underage, and underpaid labor are common and unregulated in garment factories. Outsourcing labor to China and other less developed countries is the reason why fast fashion companies like SHEIN are able to produce clothing at such low prices.

In addition to that, there is also no evidence to suggest that SHEIN and other fast fashion retailers are paying their workers fair living wages. Moreover, most of these companies' products and packaging are made from unsustainable and disposable materials due to the cheap supply cost, ultimately contributing to the global waste, climate change, and air pollution.

If SHEIN truly had nothing to hide in its factories, the company would've been more transparent about their supply chain and fair labor policies, maybe even providing photo evidence of these said conditions.

It can be tempting to purchase from fast fashion brands that are offering the trendiest pieces for the lowest prices, but by supporting these companies, you could possibly be contributing to the exploitation of workers, global waste, and climate change yourself.

There are so many alternatives for fast fashion, including secondhand shopping, supporting small sustainable brands, and just wearing more of whatever's already in your closet. Small choices like these help us call out the unethical practices of fast fashion. With the help of you, your friends, family, we can change the industry into something greener.