SHEIN

Rated: We avoid

price: $$$$

location: China

SHEIN creates short-lived, fast fashion products.

SHEIN sustainability rating

Planet

1 out of 5

People

1 out of 5

Animals

2 out of 5

Overall rating: We avoid

Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We avoid) to 5 (Great) How we rate


Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate SHEIN “Very Poor”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

  • It uses few lower-impact materials.
  • It follows an unsustainable fast fashion model with quickly changing trends and regular new styles.
  • There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals in manufacturing.
  • There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce its climate impacts.
  • There’s no evidence it’s taking actions to minimise microplastic impacts.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate SHEIN “Very Poor”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

  • It received a score of 0-10% in the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index.
  • There’s no evidence it provides financial security to its suppliers, which can result in poor working conditions and wages.
  • There’s no evidence it supports diversity and inclusion in its supply chain.
  • It audits some of its suppliers.
  • There’s no evidence it ensures workers are paid living wages in its supply chain.
  • During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not disclose adequate policies or safeguards to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate SHEIN “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

  • It has a formal policy aligned with the Five Freedoms of animal welfare but no clear implementation mechanisms in place.
  • It appears to use wool, down, exotic animal hair, decorative feathers, and silk.
  • It doesn’t appear to use leather, fur, angora, or exotic animal skin.
  • There’s no evidence it traces any animal-derived materials to the first production stage.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate SHEIN “We Avoid” overall.

Last updated March 2023