The report also discovered that Shein had falsely claimed about being certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and SA 8000 (administered by Social Accountability International) on its website. Furthermore, emerging allegations of unethical business practices do not bode well for the companys image. Shein has repeatedly come under fire for just about everything you can do wrong with a company, including poor working conditions, high levels of toxic chemicals in its clothing, copying independent designers' items, and mishandling customer data. So while it does seem that Sheins factory workers are not responsible for any of these messages, as Shein claims, that does not absolve Shein of its responsibility to protect its workers. The prayer mats actually need to be put in a clean place and used as a regular place to connect with God. The opinions in this article are those of the author. A lengthy investigation by Wired first chronicled how both laborers and consumers suffered from the production of its clothes, while a documentary by the U.K.s Channel 4 found that Shein employees were working 75-hour shifts with very little time off. All of this bad policy means it costs far more to make clothing in the United States, and that means American-made clothing costs more for consumers. Shein stands accused of a whole host of bad behavior, but arguably the worst is how it makes its goods. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced legislation in January that would prohibit goods from non-market economies (like China) and on the U.S. Trade Representatives Priority Watch List (like China) from using de minimis, along with other measures designed to reform the process. However, Shein isn't the only company operating with those guiding principles and priorities and it certainly isn't the only company pulling in large profits with the fast fashion model. Unlike rugs that are used as decor, these mats are designed in rectangular shapes with Islamic symbols and sacred writings. Why or why not? Shein is notorious for its reasonably priced clothing, which can sometimes come across as a bit too cheap, where one can find dresses and tops for less than $20 apiece. Recently, several videos were posted on TikTok that contain misleading and false information about SHEIN. Then, from my point of view, I believe selling the swastika necklaces was harmful on multiple different fronts. Advocacy groups and journalists also uncovered evidence that Sheins $11 bikinis and $7 crop tops were being made by people working in unsafe workshops, lacking safety protocols like windows and emergency exits. Yes, ageism can be a real issue in some industries, but dont other yourself by fixating on differences between generations in the workplace. Although Shein has apologized for their actions in the past, it continues to make the same mistakes by culturally appropriating sacred symbols from various cultures and religions. Imagining Radical Futures Through Art and Technology. Although Shein claims to target its sales towards European countries, America, Middle Eastern countries, and Australia, it has not been displaying respect to any of the religions that are practiced in these areas. SHEIN is the worst of the worst. Not only is the process of making all of those throw-away clothes damaging it takes 3,000 liters of water to make one cotton skirt but the clothing itself is also bad for the environment, containing plastic microfibers that pollute the ocean. One of the notes, which read Help me plz handwritten on a cardboard slip, was actually from a package a woman received from the Philippines in 2015. The company has poured millions into Google and Facebook campaigns, advertisement deals, and even a social media reality show co-hosted by Khlo Kardashian. Dazed reported that Shein has also imitated designs from other indie sustainable brands such as Transformations by Tracy, Run & Follow, and Flaws of Couture. And now, according to a recent report from Bloomberg, Shein's valuation is approximately $100 billion as a result of investments. The Chinese retailer has recently been at the centre of an online. No. According to a report compiled by Money.co.uk, Shein has taken over giants like Nike and Adidas as the most-Googled clothing brand, and Zara and Macys in online sales. First off, they represent something important and meaningful to the different cultures and religions which they arent taking into consideration of how it can affect their customers. As a result, the company leaves about 6.3 million tons of carbon dioxide a year in its traila number that falls well below the 45% target to reduce global carbon emissions by 2030, which the U.N. has said is necessary for fashion companies to implement to help limit global warming. Thats so 10 years ago. New legal actions continue to arrive at Alec Baldwins door. Shein responded to the allegations with a TikTok. Shein's profile has risen dramatically over the past few years, growing by word-of-mouth via social media giant TikTok (another Made in China joint) and is especially popular among Gen Z. It's probably the use of "unsavory" to describe the fit of pants. If you cannot agree with this . They want Shein to do better and have suggested they temporarily take down their whole website to do a thorough inspection of its products to avoid these mistakes in the future. On July 9th, 2020, Shein was also found to be selling a necklace with a swastika pendant. SheIn is a fast-fashion clothing brand based in China and is known for its cheap pricing and a massive selection of products (they even have home items). Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Georgia Portogallo, a 21-year-old British influencer with over 200,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, released a video stating that would no longer be working with the brand until its working conditions had changed shortly after appearing on the Channel 4 documentary. These prayer mats should NOT have shoes placed on them. Just this week, Florida-based artist Magdalena Mollman, known professionally as Maggie Stephenson, filed a $100 million lawsuit against Shein claiming copyright infringement. honestly probably "suck", "unsavory", "weird", and "do not recommend" are all lighting up their sensors as a bad review and they wanna repress those. Im Afraid Ive Aged Out of My Line of Work. In addition, as a fast fashion brand, it contributes to environmental pollution and harms the human rights of children. In the western market where SHEIN was attempting to sell the swastika necklace, the swastika is often considered the Nazi symbol of hate and oppression towards the Jewish community rather than the Buddhist and Hindu symbol for peace. Body positivity was my salvation from an anti-fat world. On 1 June, Shein responded to the wide-ranging conspiracy theory in a video posted to TikTok, arguing that the pictures of tags shared in the original viral video were actually from other companies. Recently, a number of TikTok creators posted videos compiling photos of purported fast fashion tags and packaging with concerning messages from factory workers. With plenty of trends for you to discover. The swastika should never be sold as just some necklace because most people know why the swastika is offensive and what it represents to the Jewish people; the slaughtering of innocent lives because of one persons decision. Assessing the truth behind the existence of the mind power, What happened to Kmart? I now know that [Sheins] staff are underpaid, they work too many long hours, they dont get days off. Every apparel brand is contributing to the problem, of course. Mrudula Rapaka, 15, Rising Junior at Chantilly High School, Chantilly, VA, It is definitely not okay at all because thats cultural appropriation and items that belong to a certain religious belief and a culture should not be sold for fashion. Largely because of its total lack of transparency. To see my artwork being re-used by yet another fast fashion company shows how little they care about artistic vision and meaningful designs.. Furthermore, Shein sells Indian/Pakistani Kurtis and salwar sets as Longline Tops & Pant Sets. They also use white models to showcase these clothes. It was first introduced to European cultures by German archeologist, The swastika is also a significant positive and auspicious symbol in, Fast fashion companies have the habit of replacing out-of-stock clothes with new ones, enticing the public to continuously buy from them. My first impulse was to throw all of them away, which says a lot for someone like me who is conscious of living a low waste lifestyle. Press J to jump to the feed. Mariel Molino Is Living Her Childhood Dream. Due to the water saving technology, need your help washing with the soft detergent at the first time to make the goods softer.. It remains one of the biggest fast-fashion companies in the world with a valuation greater than that of Zara and H&M combined. There are so many alternatives to supporting fast fashion, such as shopping secondhand, buying from sustainable small fashion brands, and simply wearing more of what you already have and the more people who call fast fashion out for its unethical practices, the greater the chance that the industry will actually make changes. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In light of the recent report in the news, we launched an investigation into the claim that 2 of our suppliers had unacceptable working conditions at their facilities., But still, the brand continues to soar in popularity across the worldespecially in countries like France, Ireland, Iceland, Egypt, Sudan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and China. As per Reuters, Sheins lack of transparency on the matter is concerning and potentially violates the UKs Modern Slavery Act 2015, which combats forced labor. Both Sides of a Breakup: She Didnt Tell Her Family She Was Dating a Woman, At Bottega Veneta, Characters You May Know. These children work for long hours without adequate breaks and are paid an insufficient amount of money for this work. With over 8 million Instagram followers, plenty of collaborations with . The product placement was seen as insensitive and consumers felt it was inappropriate to sell a religion based item in exchange for profit. There is a clear difference between appreciating culture/religion and appropriating culture/religion. One of the fastest growing online fast fashion retailers, SHEIN was founded in 2008 and now boasts an Instagram following of 18 million people. Then my doctor prescribed me an injectable weight-loss drug that upended everything. It was further discovered that most of the workers were housed in informal production sites with little to zero safety standards. If Shein really had nothing to hide in its factories, the brand would share more transparent information about its supply chain, fair labor policies, and even photos of its factories and workers. In contrast, the mostly immigrant workers of Shein toll away for more than 75 hours a week in less-than-ideal conditions. The marketplace platform makes available a range of additional merchandise and shipping options, and we expect it to result in increased customer engagement and satisfaction, the memo said. But online retailers like Amazon have exploited de minimis to dodge tariffs, and de minimis shipments have skyrocketed in recent years the U.S. imported $67 billion in de minimis shipments in 2020, up from $40.5 million in 2012. Likewise, the payment method where the workers were paid per clothing item they completed encouraged long hours of work with little benefit. Shein is a Chinese fast fashion brand that was discovered to be selling Islamic prayers mats as Greek fret carpets or decorative mats. The fashion pack contained 96, Babygirl and Scorpio necklaces. Discover affordable and fashionable women's clothing online at SHEIN.Free Shipping On Orders R1050+ Free Returns 1000+ New Arrivals Dropped Daily Other well-known brands such as Ralph Lauren, Stussy, and Deckers Outdoor Corporation (owner of the UGGS footwear brand) followed suit and filed copyright infringement complaints against Shein for stolen designs. Theyre the ones who have to be flexible and work all night so the rest of us can press a button and have a dress delivered to our door for $10, she said. It is frustrating that many people who are not Hindus, Buddhists, or Jains only associate the swastika symbol with anti-semitism or the Nazis. The fund pledged $10 million to promote recycling and support global non-profit organizations, reported PR Newswire. Unmasking the unethical business practices of the fashion brand, Is Telekinesis real? Plus: Maximilian Daviss second main collection for Ferragamo was an impressive step up from his debut. In addition, Muslims wearing this necklaceneed to be careful because they cant enter bathrooms with it on. Likewise, in May 2021, Shein was involved in another incident of design theft with a local earring brand, Kikay. According to The Fashion Law, Ralph Lauren accused Sheins parent organization, Zoetop Business Company, of willful and deliberate infringement for copying trademarks on its clothes that were substantially indistinguishable and/or confusingly similar to one or more of Ralph Laurens marks.. It's a Chinese company. In October, on the heels of the company coming under fire for fuelling wasteful consumption, Shein announced it would spend $7.6 million on a partnership with the nonprofit, Apparel Impact Institute, which works with manufacturers to set and implement energy efficiency programs. It is beyond appalling to see that Shein had dared to sell such important mats of Islam to the general public as regular house decor items. Despite it all, perhaps the bigger controversy regarding Shein is the treatment of its workers, who toil away in Chinese factories in unfit conditions. Shein has fast fashion giants on the ropes because of its direct-to-consumer model, which cuts out the middleman and eliminates the hassle and expense of running physical retail stores. Although Shein claims to target its sales towards European countries, America, Middle Eastern . Whoever decided they should sell it should be either suspended or fired. In 2020, Airwair International Limited, the owner of the Dr. Martens footwear brand, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Shein for mass producing and selling counterfeit Dr. Martens boots under the name Martin boots. Our strict Code of Conduct prohibits suppliers from using child or forced labor and we do not tolerate non-compliance. Instead of labeling the rugs with their, On July 9th, 2020, Shein was also found to be selling a necklace with a swastika pendant. Canadian watchdog Health Canada found that a jacket for toddlers contained nearly 20 times the amount of lead that is safe for children, while a purse contained about five times more lead than whats considered safe. A post shared by Green Matters (@greenmatters). Technically not the first mistake. Your first mistake was buying from there in the first place. In Jewish culture, the swastika is an anti-semitic symbol. I just left a review on Shein and the word they didn't like was "copy". #fyp #shein #sheinhelpme #scary #childlabour #help #helpthesepeople, In another video posted today to the companys official TikTok account, Shein acknowledged the confusion surrounding the product label, reminding customers that their intention was to provide instructions on using a softener when washing the garmet for the first time.. ago Its worth noting that Shein has lied about its labor practices in the past, which doesnt inspire confidence. Not only does SHEIN practice cultural appropriation, but the brand is neither environment friendly nor ethically-sourced. Bowman ultimately decided not to sue Shein. Ayan Ghosh, 15, Rising Sophomore at Thomas S. Wootton High School, Rockville, MD, I dont think its ok for SHEIN to be selling the necklaces or the mats. Similarly, it is important to acknowledge that the swastika is auspicious to the Hindu community. The Financial Times noted that it was not the first time Shein was involved in a trademark dispute as it had previously been sued by Levi Strauss in 2018 for copying its Arcuate stitching patterns. For centuries, many minorities have been oppressed and discriminated against due to their religion, and for a large global company like Shein to take these religions and market them for profit, it is not okay. The companys unconventional structure, Who owns Bape? Are these messages on Shein tags and packaging real? Through Teen Lenses: Do you think Shein selling Islamic prayer mats and swastika necklaces is appropriate? H&M? This is a concern for Muslims since the necklace was not marked in the product description of its religious origins. No wonder it minds much about words \_()_/ ^, Super Idol 105 C . Shein, in that period, had 1.3 million, Wired reports. It has been selling products that symbolize hate towards another race or ignorance towards another religion. fashion, spirituality, spirituality in fashion, spirituality and fashion, fashion in spirituality, fast fashion, sustainable clothing, sustainable fashion, slow fashion, slow fashion blog, slow fashion blogger, slow fashion, slow fashion blog, slow fashion season, slow fashion pledge, what is slow fashion, what is slow fashion season, what does slow fashion mean, ethical fashion, sustainable fashion bloggers, sustainable fashion blog, ethical influencers, upcycling, thrifting, fair trade, slow fashion season instagram, slow fashion season pledge, slow fashion challenge, slow fashion campaign, slow fashion community, sustainable fashion community, Spirituality in Racial Justice & Equality. They need help. On top of that, brands mass-producing such cheap, poorly-made clothing perpetuate a throwaway fashion culture simply by existing. 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