Gigi On Earth

When it comes to SHEIN, opinions are abundant, but information is scarce—especially when the company itself speaks. Their General Counsel’s recent appearance to discuss the company’s IPO was yet another example of this opacity, offering no meaningful details. For a brand that’s as polarizing as SHEIN, their strategy of saying little and revealing less is hardly surprising.

And therein lies the core issue with SHEIN: a total lack of transparency. From their supply chain practices to their public engagements, crucial details are consistently withheld. Even under the scrutiny of the UK Parliament, representatives evaded meaningful answers about their operations. Their decision to appear without offering substantive responses raises the question: why bother showing up at all? The hearing arguably damaged their reputation more than it improved it.

The UK Parliament did touch on the controversial use of cotton from the Xinjiang region, known for forced labor. But the broader issue—unsafe, exploitative working conditions across the fast fashion industry—remains largely unaddressed. SHEIN is far from the only brand relying on underpaid garment workers in hazardous environments, yet this fact often escapes the spotlight.

To its credit, Parliament’s persistent questioning about supply chain transparency marks a small step forward. However, their focus on such a narrow aspect of SHEIN’s practices highlights a larger problem: diving deeper into the global fast fashion industry’s systemic exploitation would implicate too many other major players. And so, the cycle of limited accountability continues.

SHEIN may be the brand of the moment, but their silence speaks volumes. Until governments and consumers demand greater transparency across the entire industry, true accountability will remain out of reach.