Fast fashion company Shein has irked environmental activists by launching a resale program to address the ongoing issue of textile waste on the same day a documentary about the fast-fashion company’s labor practices was released.
Since its creation in 2008, the Chinese-owned e-commerce store has exploded in popularity, and its fast-rate production has made rivals unable to keep up. At Shein’s many factories in China workers regularly put in 16-hour days with quotas of 500 garments a day. While the clothing retailer has steadily fed the appetite for super trendy, budget-friendly threads, the true cost of the fast-fashion giant has led activists to criticize its business model and call for change.
The company has pitched its resale program as an opportunity to better promote mindful consumption and says it is just one of its various initiatives designed to put sustainability on the agenda. Over the past two years, nearly 100 brands have launched some version of a resale platform, designed to extend the lifespan of their clothing.But, according to activists, fast fashion is barely sturdy enough to wear once.
Shein has a capacity to produce more than 1000 new designs every day but is accused of feeding into overconsumption by pushing several microtrends simultaneously.












