Shein news and archive

Shein IPO reportedly facing regulator delays due to NGO concerns

Financial regulators in the UK have delayed their approval of Shein’s IPO after it faced challenges from advocacy groups with anti-slavery stances. According to sources for Reuters, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is believed to be checking the fast fashion giant’s supply chain oversight and assessing possible legal risks in relation to...

Fashion |Opinion Featured

Most consumers know cheap fashion isn’t sustainable—so why do they keep buying it?

Despite growing awareness of the fashion industry's negative impact, consumers continue to purchase affordable, trendy clothes from fast fashion brands and retail giants. Why is that? How can these two realities coexist? The inspiration for this piece comes from a recent article published by Dutch investigative journalism platform De...

Business

Vietnam threatens technical block on Chinese e-commerce giants Shein and Temu

The Vietnamese government is threatening to block the internet domains and apps of Chinese online retailers Shein and Temu if they fail to register their operations with the Ministry of Commerce by the end of November 2024. The move comes amid concerns over the growing influence of the wildly popular e-commerce giants on the economies of local...

Background

The Gen Z dilemma: eco-conscious but addicted to fast fashion

One of the most-read articles on FashionUnited in October was about unauthorised Shein outlets -- pop-up shops that pretend to be by the Chinese internet giant but are simply riding on the brand's popularity. Pop-up shops opened in Dutch cities such as Arnhem, Utrecht and Rotterdam, offering clothes at extremely low prices. These shops have been...

Background

The future of fashion: is less more?

A confession. My original research question was, “What if the fashion industry simply made less clothes?” (Over)production, reducing speed and seasons could be the answer to almost everything?!, was my thought process. As in: for sustainability in the clothing sector and more broadly: in the pursuit of a circular economy (see text frame below)....

Business

The Children’s Place to sell via Shein in new partnership

The Children’s Place has announced a new partnership with Shein that will see products from the childrenswear retailer sold via the fast fashion giant’s platform. The move was dubbed a “significant step forward” by The Children’s Place, which is continuing to embark on the implementation of an omnichannel strategy centred around diversification....

Business

Shein posts 38 percent revenue growth ahead of London IPO

Online fast-fashion retailer Shein's business in the UK recorded a pretax profit of 24.4 million pounds in 2023, while revenues for the year reached 1.55 billion pounds, up 38 percent ahead of its listing in London. A filing by the firm on Companies House said that Shein opened an office in Manchester, northwest England and pop-up stores across...

Retail

Shein outlets are appearing on high streets, but are not from the Chinese giant

Apparent Shein outlet stores have begun appearing on several shopping streets in both Spain and the Netherlands, the most recent popping up in Arnhem, Breda and The Hague. Yet, while seemingly operating under the same name, they are not from the Chinese fast fashion giant, a spokesperson for Shein emphasised to FashionUnited. Earlier this year,...

Business

Puma takes legal action against Shein for 'unauthorised distribution'

Since the Chinese online marketplace Shein opened up to third-party sellers, an increasing number of branded products have recently appeared there whose distribution via the platform has not been authorised by the brands. This also includes the sports goods manufacturers Puma and Adidas. According to research by WirtschaftsWoche, Adidas Samba...

Business

Six EU countries call for stricter supervision of Shein and Temu

Six European Union countries, including the Netherlands and Germany, are calling on Brussels to tighten the screws on online shopping sites Temu and Shein, which are suspected of selling products that are sometimes dangerous to consumers. “Every day, hundreds of thousands of parcels arrive at our homes, mainly from China, with goods that do not...

Business

Italy launches investigation into Shein over possible misleading advertising

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) has opened an investigation into the Dublin-based company Infinite Styles Services CO. Limited, which operates the Italian Shein website. The investigation focuses on possible misleading advertising on the Shein website, in particular in the 'SheinTheKnow', 'evoluSHEIN' and 'Social Responsibility'...

Business

Superdry CEO says Shein is being allowed to ‘dodge tax’

Julian Dunkerton, the chief executive officer of Superdry, has said that Chinese fast fashion giant Shein is being allowed to “dodge tax”, and is thus calling on the UK government to take action. Speaking to the Today Programme on Radio 4, and later reported on by the BBC, Dunkerton said the UK Treasury would do well to get rid of a “loophole”...