Fast Fashion: The True Cost of Cheap

by: McKenzie Powell

As college students on a budget, many of my peers have come to love any brand that is both cheap and easily accessible; I, myself, am also guilty.  This is how I know how rarely we know any information about the companies we are buying from. My question to you is, how would you feel about buying from a company that even experts barely know anything about? I am not asking you to stop consuming fast fashion, but I am asking you to consider what you are consuming, where it is coming from, and who is making it. 

Shein is currently one of the fastest growing online retailers and is believed to make an annual revenue of five billion dollars. This probably means that this retailer has obtained a good amount of my paycheck, as well as yours. Although the prices may be perfect for young adults on a budget, the lack of transparency behind Shein’s production has caused a lot of doubt among the general public. 

Companies such as Shein are now being recognized as what is known as “fast fashion.” Fast fashion creates cheap mass-produced clothing articles that are modeled on celebrities or other high-end fashion trends. Unfortunately, fast fashion is associated with unethical labor practices, such as child labor and extremely low wages. The UNICEF estimates 168 children from the ages of five and seventeen are currently victims of child labor. Shein directly addresses this topic on their website by saying, “We strictly abide by child labor laws in each of the countries that we operate in. Neither we nor any of our partners are allowed to hire underage children. Any partners or vendors found to have violated these laws are terminated immediately and reported to the authorities.”  Even though this claim touches on the fact they abide by child labor laws, it completely ignores the fact that such laws widely vary by country. For example, in Bangladesh, children may begin entering the workforce at the age of fourteen which, though legal, many would agree is morally wrong.

Not only may children be working for this company, but there are also no public records are available indicating the working conditions that Shein provides for its employees. This lack of evidence is what has gained the attention of labor watchdogs such as the Worker Rights Consortium and the Business & Human Rights Resource Center. Until recently, Shein had falsely published on its website that the working conditions provided for workers were certified, labor-standard bodies. Over the years, Shein has also not made any public disclosures about the working conditions in its supply chains as is required by the law in the United Kingdom.  Shein has also declined to provide its annual revenue in several nations, including Australia and the United Kingdom. While there is no conclusive evidence to the conditions of workers yet, due to the lack of compliance from Shein on these facets, there is good reason for concern.

Again, I am not going to tell you to not abide by your monthly budget and go spend a fortune on clothes instead, but what I am asking is that you question in what conditions the products you consume are made. Consider whether a company’s morals and standards line up with your own. Most importantly, make it a point to do your own research. This breed of company survives due to their customers’ ignorance and complacency; the best way to combat them is to educate yourself and be aware of who you are supporting.