Child labor among Shein’s suppliers: the fast fashion giant faces stricter regulations

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 08. 23. 11:34

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The Chinese fast fashion company Shein discovered child labor among its suppliers in two cases in 2023, the BBC reported. The company has recently tightened its supplier controls, and according to the new rules, they will immediately terminate their contracts with partners who employ children.

According to Shein, the cases were detected in the first nine months of 2023, and they claim that no similar problems have occurred in the last quarter of the year. The company temporarily suspended orders from the affected suppliers, and took swift action to terminate the minors’ contracts, pay back wages, and provide them with medical examinations and repatriation.

Shein’s supplier practices have come under fire in the past, and the company is currently preparing for an IPO, which likely contributed to the tightening. According to the BBC, the company submitted the necessary documents for the London stock market listing at the beginning of the year.

Shein has faced serious ethical concerns in the past, particularly allegations of excessive overtime and forced labor in its supply chain. The company says it has zero tolerance for forced labor and is committed to respecting human rights. Shein has made “significant progress” in improving workplace conditions.

Shein recently took legal action against Temu, accusing it of intellectual property infringement and fraud. Ironically, other big brands like Levi Strauss and H&M are accusing Shein of the same violations.