In 2022, Shein produced over nine million metric tons of carbon dioxide. In 2023, that number nearly doubled. Such massive levels of CO2 contribute to the global climate crisis, warming the planet at a near-unstoppable rate.
You may be asking, Emilia, who would report such a statistic?
Shein did.
In their 2023 Sustainability and Social Impact Report.
Surrounded by buzzwords and greenwashing, Shein hides the truth in plain sight: they have no intention of slowing down. No matter how many steps they "continue to take to demonstrate greater accountability,"(1) Shein is the largest polluter in the fashion industry.
The $100 billion-worth corporation averages a price of $15.84 per item. They can charge so little because their factory workers (often children) are paid as little as 4 cents per unit made.
With Shein's low, low prices, consumers are addicted to buying gigantic boxes of clothing and opening them on social media. As fun as it is to sit for hours and watch (typically) women pour through their thousand-dollar orders for trips to other continents (2), it gets to the point where I begin to criticize the women themselves.
Do they not know that the trendy top they impulsively bought will last a maximum of six washes before the stitches begin to unravel? Are they unaware that polyester, the fabric from which three-fourths of Shein's clothes are made, can take up to 200 years to decompose? Have they read any single article about Shein?
One of the more outrageous hauls. No hate to Katelyn.
I become angry with the women. How on Earth do they prioritize style over sustainability, fashion over forests, looks over the long-term viability of our planet?
Do they not know that climate change will be irreversible in just four years if we continue at our current rate?
I then take a deep breath and remind myself that it's not these random TikTokers' fault that New Orleans, the Bahamas, and Bangkok are expected to be underwater by 2050. In fact, we shouldn't blame any individual or group of people. Personal choices contribute to this global issue, but systematic pollution, like that of Shein and other fast fashion giants, is the bigger problem.
While the average human produces nearly 1.5 tons of waste annually, companies worldwide produce close to 7.6 billion tons. Instead of cutting down on their consumption, companies shift the blame onto the consumer.
Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Eat less meat. Recycle. But what will reducing our annual 1.5 tons of waste do when colossal corporations like Shein eclipse our efforts?
That's not to say we shouldn't work to become environmentally conscious. In time, the work of a few becomes the work of many. However, how will turning off the faucet when brushing our teeth have any impact if the big companies aren't willing to change?
I'll be honest; I had a Shein phase. In the summer of 2020, I hopped on TikTok to watch the first iterations of the Shein hauls I now despise. I remember running to my computer, astonished by the fifty-cent bracelets and five-dollar shirts.
Oh, this old thing? It's Shein!
The excitement I felt when I ordered a bucketload of new clothing was quickly squashed when it arrived at my doorstep. Little bits of string from the faux wool sweater left a mess on my shirt underneath. Jeans that had appeared online to be embroidered were covered in iron-on plastic decals. Nothing fit right; the size guides were merely a suggestion.
It didn't make sense to me. I should have gotten my money's worth.
In reality, I did get what I paid for. Shein outsources all of its labor, meaning it owns no factories. That, along with its low wages and cheap fabrics, enables the Singapore-based brand to cut overhead costs and make more cha-ching!
At the end of the day, the best way to combat the big guys is to shop only at small businesses, as well as vintage and thrift stores. The average consumer keeps a piece of Shein clothing for two weeks before throwing it away (best-case scenario, donating it). I'm a big fan of the Salvation Army on 8th Ave and 21st St in Chelsea; I found my two favorite baby tees there in late August 2024.
If you want this planet to last longer, ditch buying massive Shein hauls and join me at your local Goodwill. You might find something better than a polyester crop top.
Footnotes
What a lengthy and self-aggrandizing way of saying that Shein isn't going to do s**t.
It will never make sense to me how people spend that much money on fast fashion, and then travel. Could that Shein haul have not just been a ticket for a loved one?
Title photo by Martin Bernetti at Getty
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