Research on Fast Fashion giant SHEIN. Sunday 20th November.

The Number of Times a Garment is Worn Has Declined by Around 36% In 15 Years

The throwaway culture has worsen progressively over the years. At present, many items are worn only seven to ten times before being tossed. That’s a decline of more than 35% in just 15 years.

source: earth.org - https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/

Shein added on average 2,000 SKUs (stock keeping unit) every day in 2021

I believe that businesses like Shein have changed society's view of clothes and made people feel they are disposable. Not only do they use majority cheap, unethical fabrics in their products, but with the amount of output they manufacture and the overworked conditions of their garment workers: Shein's clothes are not meant to last.

Because so much of their stock is created to react quickly to new trends and micro-trends in fashion, their clothes are not timeless pieces made to endure changing trends and multiple years wear. This is such a damaging idea to implement to people that low prices should mean you do not have to care about how much or what you are buying.

Shein is well known as a fast fashion brand and it has rightly been called out for its labour law breaches and environmental damages for years. It is also common sense to realise that a business selling pieces £5 and less will not be paying its workers fairly. It shows the success of a materialistic and consumerist society under capitalism.

I believe drastic change needs to happen to stop viewing our things as dispensable and people/ workers as out of sight, out of mind.

We all have a responsibility to be mindful of what we are buying and where our things are coming from. If you have the privilege to buy tons of new clothes on a constant basis, you should choose to be responsible with that privilege and shop sustainably. Boycotting brands like Shein is a step towards change as their power comes from their huge customer base. We must demand change to help those in need and our environment.

Research

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