Fast fashion: 1. Environment: 0.
Shein and Forever 21 have joined forces in a deal that will expand their presence and reach in the retail world. The alliance is a victory for the Asian and U.S. fast-fashion leaders, as the two companies compete with rivals such as Uniqlo, Temu and Zara, but the deal will come at the expense of an already stressful environment. price.
company Announce On Thursday, Shein will buy about a third of Forever 21 operator Sparc Group, which manufactures and distributes merchandise for brands including Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer and Reebok. In turn, the Sparc Group will get a minority stake in Shein.
Shein is an online company, while Forever 21 is primarily known for its retail stores.Under the arrangement, Shein will sell certain Forever 21 products on its website, giving Forever 21 access to Shein’s 150 million digital customers, namely wall street journal The report said.
Shein is one of the largest fast fashion retailers in the US market shareand introducing more third-party brands, such as Forever 21, is part of its strategy to grow into a brand. Amazon-like marketplaces. “We can’t make everything we sell,” Donald Tang, Shein’s executive vice chairman, told reporters. wall street Magazine.
In the future, shoppers may be able to return Shein products in person at one of Forever 21’s more than 540 global locations, none of which are located in East Asia. Customers can also purchase Shein products at Forever 21 stores, according to the company. Magazine.
The benefits of the deal are clear, but so are the environmental downsides.
Environmental damage
Fast fashion is a business model in which popular clothing and accessories are cheaply manufactured and sold at low prices, encouraging consumers to buy more but wear or use them less often. The rapid production of these products is associated with increased carbon emissions and the generation of large amounts of waste.
According to statistics, as of 2019, the overall carbon emissions of the fashion industry accounted for 8% of the total global carbon emissions, and the amount of wastewater generated accounted for 20%, making it the second most polluting industry. United Nations.it is A $2.5 Trillion Global IndustryBut it loses about $500 billion a year due to lack of recycling and manufacturers and retailers throwing away unsalable clothes.
Shein’s fast-fashion approach has drawn the ire of environmentalists in particular. You can buy a T-shirt for $2 and a pair of jeans for $10 from its website. good for you– a non-profit organization that rates fashion brands based on their environmental, social and governance records (ESG) and is supported by actresses and activists Emma Watson— gave Shein the lowest “we avoid” rating.
“From hazardous chemicals to carbon emissions Microplastics…it follows an unsustainable model of fast fashion, where trends change quickly and new styles come out,” says Good for You.
The China-founded company has also faced backlash over its alleged purchases of cotton from the Xinjiang region, where the U.S. accused Chinese authorities in 2021. Genocide against Uyghur Muslims And subject them to criminal acts such as forced labor. Beijing has denied the allegations.Shane Headquarters moved to Singapore In 2022, critics say it is an attempt to distance China in a contentious international relationship.
“SHEIN has zero tolerance for forced labor, we don’t source any cotton from China, and we don’t have any manufacturers in the Xinjiang region: 95% of our cotton comes from the US, India, Brazil and Australia,” Shein told us wealth.
Regarding sustainability, Shein said: “Our higher inventory turns and resource efficiencies mean unsold inventory levels are in the single digits, well below industry averages, and environmental impact and Pricing is lower.”
Forever 21 is priced slightly higher than Shein’s, but it also gets the lowest rating from Good on You.This nonprofit flags companies for their sustainability efforts and labor practices “Very bad.”
Forever 21 did not immediately respond wealth Request for comment.
But a growing number of sustainable fashion brands and retailers are emerging to position themselves as an alternative to fast fashion, as ESG criteria become more important to investors, and buying second-hand clothing becomes increasingly popular with Gen Z and millennials. becoming more popular within a generation, ethical practices are gaining momentum, with publications including Fashion Curate “guide” For shoppers interested in sustainability.
Still, as fast-fashion brands try to cement themselves in the lives of American consumers, it can be hard to convince a broke college student to spend $100 on an ethically crafted shirt when they can get the same for $5 at Shein. s things.
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