"Shein is the new darling of China's fast fashion industry — but at what cost?", 5 April 2022

Fast fashion has risen to global domination led by Chinese company Shein.

The company generated $20.5 billion in revenue in 2021, according to Reuters, and its website claims there are almost 9,000 new online arrivals a day.

Its goods are super cheap — you can get a top for $5 or sunglasses for $6 — but its means of achieving low prices for consumers has been criticised for being opaque, driving waste and leading to poor working conditions.

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In February, Shein released its first Sustainability and Social Impact Report for 2021, addressing transparency complaints.

It revealed 83 per cent of 700 suppliers had at least one major risk, 12 per cent had major violations that threatened closure, and close to a third were not prepared for a fire.

Underage labour was found is less than one per cent of nearly 700 suppliers where audits were conducted — that's between one and six of its suppliers.

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A spokesperson for Shein told ABC's China Tonight that they enforce a code of conduct for all suppliers and have strict audits using third party firms.

"We also partner with third-party audit firms such as Bureau Veritas, ITS and Openview to audit our suppliers," they said.

They said the company is committed to protecting the environment, supporting communities, and empowering entrepreneurs.

"A major global online retailer, we know that we have a vital role to play in supporting the communities where we work, source, and live, and a responsibility to preserve the planet we all share. We seek to take ownership of all the impacts of our business and operate for the long term in a way that benefits business and society."

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