OP-ED: There Is No Excuse For Promoting Shein in 2023

The ultra fast fashion brand is on a greenwashing tour.

Photo Source: Pexels

In response to ongoing accusations of labor violations, high levels of lead in their clothing and damagingly low costs, Shein took a group of diverse influencers on a greenwashing tour. The ultra fast fashion brand flew the content creators to China this past weekend, taking them on factory tours and essentially feeding them talking points to rebrand their social media image.

As the influencers walked through the brightly lit facilities in Guangzhou—surrounded by smiling workers, a camera crew and several Shein spokespeople—they attempted to refute the claims one by one. “Upon interviewing the workers, a lot of them were confused and taken aback by the child labor questions and the lead in the clothing questions,” creator Destene Sudduth said in a video, “They basically said ‘Our kids want to be on social media just like y’all, they’re not working in factories.’” She went on to discuss the workers’ commute and schedule saying, “Most of them work like 8 to 6 and their commute is 10 to 15 minutes just like normal.”

Yet, the same influencer shared a day earlier that these factory workers produce between 15,000 and 30,000 articles of clothing a day, never once questioning how these numbers can be achieved under “normal” circumstances. But she wasn’t there to ask questions, at least not the right ones. Shein would have invited journalists for that. In her role as a corporate mouthpiece, she delivered.

But she wasn’t there to ask questions, at least not the right ones. Shein would have invited journalists for that. In her role as a corporate mouthpiece, she delivered.

So no child labor? Check. Regular hours? Check. What about the quality of  the clothes? Plus-size model Dani DMC, who called herself an investigative journalist, had a retort. “I was really impressed by the extensive checklist that each item had to go through before it got shipped off.” What did she mean by that? “There is a thorough process on how each outfit is designed, structured, stitched and sewn,” influencer Aujene Butler mentioned in a video posted on the Shein US TikTok account.

The #SHEINOnTheRoad campaign stood to counteract a history of shocking exposés, most recently the findings of Untold: Inside the Shein Machine. Trained investigative journalist Iman Amrani uncovered that workers inside two factories in Guangzhou received a base salary of 4,000 yuan per month (or $556 USD) to make 500 pieces of clothing per day—much less than the required minimum of 7,410 yuan per month. Furthermore, they worked 18-hour days, seven days a week, and were given only one day off a month. Unlike the influencers’ propaganda, there was no mention of overtime pay; au contraire, the workers had their first month’s wages withheld from them and they incurred penalties for mistakes. The film also showed women washing their hair during lunch breaks. 

In a statement released by The Guardian, the company responded: “Shein engages industry-leading third-party agencies to conduct regular audits of suppliers’ facilities to ensure compliance. Suppliers are given a specific timeframe in which to remediate violations, failing which, Shein takes immediate action.” Sounds like something the influencers would say, doesn’t it? The cliché and prescriptive nature of their speech was not lost on anyone.

This scenario has played out multiple times in the past: a journalist provides hard evidence of Shein’s murky practices, the company issues a statement and Gen Z women continue to tout their products online. This time, the Chinese retailer’s approach also involved using a select group of mostly Black and diverse content creators as microphones. While the influencers called it an opportunity to learn more about the brand, it’s clear that Shein is the only winner here. According to Business of Fashion, the company posted $23 billion in sales last year—despite a slowdown during the summer and fall seasons. The company’s bottom line seems impervious to the negative press as shoppers continue to buy its $3 t-shirts and $12 dresses. 

While the influencers called it an opportunity to learn more about the brand, it’s clear that Shein is the only winner here.

Meanwhile, the damage to the influencers’ brand was swift. Dani DMC may have turned off the comments under her video, but her followers did not hold back under subsequent photos. “They picked the right influencer with you. Absolutely no critical thinking skills,” one user wrote. A longtime fan said, “I’ve always really really liked your videos and you as a person…That’s why it makes me so sad to see this. The way that this is so out of touch and that you have not thought through such a partnership in advance amazes me in the worst possible way. We all know the real behind this company.” The other influencers were not spared from admonishment either. A comment under Destene’s video reads, “be fr girl integrity is worth more than a trip.” 

While the ethics of accepting brand deals is often a nuanced conversation, partnering with Shein is pretty black and white.

There is no excuse for promoting Shein, whose list of offenses also include knocking off small designers and posting problematic merchandise like a swastika necklace. While the ethics of accepting brand deals is often a nuanced conversation, partnering with Shein is pretty black and white. You’d have to lack discernment or be deliberately oblivious to the ills of society. As a content creator, your authenticity is your currency. By endorsing Shein, these influencers not only diluted their brand, but they also pigeonholed themselves as no smart, self-respecting brand would choose to associate after this debacle.

As a content creator, your authenticity is your currency.

It’s also important to note that the brand only selected Black and plus-size macro-influencers for this redemption tour—at least from the snippets shared on social media. Brand trips have long been criticized for being exclusive, yet these were the creators tapped to cover the sins of this fast-fashion culprit? What does this say about the way brands perceive influencers of color? As if the story could get any worse, this observation makes it all the more insidious.