Shein Controversy: Fashion as a Right, Not a Privilege Sparks Debate

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EDITORIAL – As the fast fashion law is set to be reviewed in the Senate this June, a major Chinese e-commerce giant has initiated a significant brand campaign, appealing to the notion of rights. However, it does not address the rights of textile workers who are part of a mass garment production line, as depicted in Wang Bing’s latest documentary.

A Proposed Tax on 800 Million Parcels from China

The campaign kicked off just a day before Eric Lombard, the Minister of Economy, visited Roissy Airport. He was joined by Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of Public Accounts, Véronique Louwagie, Minister Delegate for Commerce, Crafts, SMEs, and the Social and Solidarity Economy, and Clara Chappaz, Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs. During this visit, announcements regarding the regulation and safety of e-commerce platforms were expected. A new uniform tax aimed at the 800 million small packages currently imported from China each year, which are currently tax-exempt, was proposed.

Shein also launched a website, for-une-mode-accessible.fr, to influence public authorities. Accessed via a QR code at the center of advertisements featuring the sad faces of fashion enthusiasts, the site mentions a bill aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry, currently under review in the Senate. As a major player in the fashion sector, Shein supports the ambitious goals of this legislation. However, they believe the approach is disproportionate, particularly targeting Shein and its customers with a potential tax that could reach up to 10 euros per product sold on their site by 2030. They argue that this tax will not make fashion more responsible, but merely less accessible.

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The Reality of Chinese Workshops Versus Shein’s Promises

Shein has made several promises, such as using recycled polyester by 2030, reducing its water consumption by 70%, launching an online platform for reselling clothes, and even establishing a 200 million euro fund to support innovation and assist French and European companies. They also plan to support the development of small French fashion brands financially, if necessary, to keep France a hub of creativity that inspires the world. Importantly, Shein highlights its on-demand production model, which allows them to produce only what their customers want to wear.

For those who have seen Wang Bing’s new documentary on textile factories in China, titled “Youth” (Spring), which premiered in theaters in January, this final argument might seem ironic. The emphasis on the “right to fashion” is astonishing when juxtaposed with the film’s portrayal. Over three and a half hours, it exposes the grueling life of workers in Zhili, a distant suburb of Shanghai. These workers are paid per piece to rapidly produce garments, work unpaid overtime, sleep in dismal dormitories, and are sometimes abandoned by their indebted bosses. In this world, social rights, not the right to fashion, are nonexistent. It is under these conditions that Shein and other Chinese giants clothe the Western world, which turns a blind eye.