[...] Tearfund, in collaboration with Baptist World Aid, reviewed the latest 2024 Ethical Fashion Report to see how companies like Temu and Shein rank in terms of protecting workers and mitigating environmental damage. The report, which surveys and scores 120 of the world’s largest fashion brands, revealed that the average score across brands was 31 out of 100. Shein scored 20, while Temu received a rock-bottom score of 0.

Temu’s score reflects its lack of transparency, which is a growing standard in the fashion industry. “Opaque supply chains are a phenomenon relegated to the past. Without transparency, consumers can’t know if the company is doing what’s necessary to ensure workers’ welfare,” Gray explained. Temu’s refusal to disclose basic information publicly is out of step in an industry where consumers increasingly demand accountability.

Shein, while scoring slightly higher than Temu, also came under scrutiny. “Shein’s score of 20 confirms our suspicions: while they align with industry standards on some basic policies, they fall significantly behind in measures that deliver meaningful change for workers,” said Gray. Despite a 62-page sustainability report from Shein, the company continues to lag behind in addressing core human rights issues. [...]

Both Shein and PDD Holdings (Temu’s parent company) have been accused of extreme overtime in their supply chains. In one case, workers for PDD Holdings were reported to have worked 12-hour days, 380 hours per month—well above China’s legal limits. Investigations by Public Eye into Shein’s factories revealed employees working up to 75 hours per week. While overtime may sometimes be voluntary, low baseline wages often leave workers no choice but to work long hours to make ends meet.

[Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Shein to respond to the article, Shein's response provided. Temu's comment included in the original article.]