Too wonder why people shop on temu Shein etc

[HappySunday1]

When we know how bad the environment is how much plastic and stuff ends up in land fill how poor the workers conditions are why are we supporting them. I see so many people doing big hauls of stuff. I know it’s cheap and maybe it’s all people can afford by you buy cheap you buy twice.

Sorry, what?

I genuinely haven't purchased any clothes in about five years due to not having any money to do so. And even before then, money has always been very tight, so the clothes I've purchased have exclusively been second hand. Village hall/tabletop sales and car boots are by far the cheapest way to buy clothes ime. Good quality stuff too - hence why I haven't needed any more clothes in years. I will say that as someone with a physical disability, I'm very aware that others with disabilities might not be able to go rummaging through clothes at these things so it's not a solution for everyone.

But if you want to make unethical choices go for it, but don't accuse others who don't make those choice of being too privileged to understand. It's just nonsense.

I also don't recognise your account of charity shops, but perhaps that's down to the fact I don't live in a posh area - charity shops round my part are still very cheap and accessible, and most still have a £1 rail.

Does anyone not wonder why everything is so cheap?

They are selling under cost in order to mine your data, that's where they are making money, both of these sites are owned by the same parent group and when you agree to their terms it basically gives them access to all data, images, history, everything on your device.

These companies are not in the business of selling products, they are in the business of data collection, to then sell.

Have you actually BEEN in a charity shop lately? They are rubbish - my local had a M&S jumper the other day for £8! I don’t actually shop online ever but looking on Shein I can get one for £5. And it’s not worn and dated.

Vinted can be good but it comes with risks - firstly you can’t return goods. Secondly, goods may not be as described or you may get a dodgy/flakey seller. To some, losing a tenner this way means they go without until they get paid.

It's on everyone to make responsible purchases.

I actually disagree

I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to act within the law - but that’s where I draw the line.

People on here can pretend they’ve neverade a morally dubious decision but they are wrong. The reality is many people are way too busy to intensively research the ethics of every butchers, bakery, online shop and clothing brand they buy from.

I think if you are part of the most vulnerable living in poverty - remember, a disproportionate amount of people do live in poverty in the UK, and most of those adults who do are working - you have been reduced to your circumstances through decisions out of your control. Your responsibility lies only with yourself and your immediate family. The ONLY people who are responsible for ethical buying should be leaders and policymakers - the ones who actually have the power to say “Let’s stop these irresponsible practices - let’s ensure fair workforces no matter where they are and fair wages otherwise you cannot retail in the UK”. Not on a single mum with a budget of £10 to buy her baby new clothes because the tax credit switchover has left her £180 a month worse off.

Go naked it would seem.

And actually that's another thing I hate about Shein and co - it's made second hand shopping more difficult for me. People buy this stuff and then donate it thinking it excuses the mindless consumerism. Second hand shopping now means sifting through all this cheap crap in order to find something decent and actually wearable.

Oooh do you have a pattern for that?

My kids school does this and it’s great as a jumper form the ONE uniform shop you can get them from is £15!

But I don’t think my children’s school jumpers are on Shein so it probably has nothing to do with this thread 🤣

That's great and important, but it's not recycling.

@TrishIsMySpiritAnimal 😂 But it's November and I'm cold......

@Oliotya - ok "reusing" then 🙄
As a society we need more recycling and reusing. But if the methods and facilities aren't available or accessible to people then it can't happen.

I bought once from Shein because I wanted a particular type of blouse they had, but it was rubbish and unwearable when it arrived. I imagine lots of people are one time only customers.

Err yes I have been in a charity shop. Most of my clothing comes from vinted though tbh. I'm sitting here in a £3 merino cardi and £8 next jeans.
The faux victimhood is nonsense because second hand us always cheaper, I know because I buy it. If you just want new clothes, say that and own it.
If I had £10 to spend on baby clothes, a massive bundle of second hand would obviously be a more sensible choice.

Trouble is, the quality in more expensive/regular shops is poor as well. They use the cheapest fabric and labour and just make a bigger profit.

I’ve bought two t-shirts from Next this year and that’s it. Do people really buy a load of clothes every month? What for? Where do you keep it all? What do you do with the stuff from three months ago? What is your ‘style’?

I only really buy new to replace something that is falling apart, but then I wear the same style t-shirt from Next literally everyday (different colours) and either M&S trousers or joggers my mum makes me (I’m autistic). I don’t know what I would do if Next ever stopped doing my t-shirt! I’m fascinated by people who have a ‘style’ and wear different stuff all the time.

@Oliotya but there should also be a easy way to actually recycle the school uniform that has literally reached the end of it's life - the ink stained falling apart white school shirt. What can you do with that? Charity shops do take for rag recycling but if you can't access a charity shop that can't happen.
What do people do? They end up putting it in their general rubbish bin - which goes to landfill.
We (society) need more investment in easy to access recycling points and more recycling centres built. My parents council doesn't even recycle glass via the door step recycling bins. You either have to find a public glass recycling bin (many have been removed) or.....put it in the general (landfill) rubbish bin.
It's ridiculous that there isn't there a glass recycling facility in their county?

THAT’s NO EXCUSE 🤣

My teen DD buys clothes from vinted, depop, boot fairs etc and occassionally urban outfitters or Hollister if she's persuaded me to buy it
She and friends used to like going round the charity shops in our town but now they notice how expensive the charity shops are. It's cheaper to get something new in primark. Sometimes the tesco and primark clothes in the charity shops are priced the same as new
I don't buy from Temu and Shein and encourage my DD not to, but if money was super tight I can see why people do. (Buying second hand is always a lottery of finding something in your size anyway)

@Needmorelego for what its worth out grown.stuff goes to neices, nephews, friendsand neighbours or charity.

i use old socks and torn/ stained socks abd shirts as dusters, cleaning rags, etc. old odd socks seem to be really good for shower screens !! I stick them all in a bucket and wash them together for reuse. At least that way they get some more use before finally being chucked out.

it makes my life interesting 😂reckon i need to get out more

@listsandbudgets to be honest I think that's what a lot of people do. But it does eventually get to a point where the life of that product is over.
My daughter could do with new pillows. Hers are as flat as pancakes and dribble stained. We've had them donkeys years. They've been rotated around every bed and used by every family member to rest their head. @Oliotya what do you suggest I do with these sad specimens of pillows? There's no facilities available to recycle them - so off to landfill they go. Bye pillows. You served us well.

Many of us aren't talking about the people who are genuinely struggling. We're talking about people who regularly buy tonnes of unnecessary shite every year.

“Faux victimhood” yeah people in poverty are obviously just making it up

Second hand is not always cheaper - why can’t you get your head around that? And I’d people want to pay 25p more for something new - so what.

Again - Vinted is a risk because you can’t return items. Good for you for finding cheap buys but it’s not as easy for everyone. I also think £10 for second hand jeans is expensive.

Agree with this. I bought clothes for DD recently from New Look and the quality was absolutely awful. I know New Look isn’t high end fashion but they weren’t cheap clothes and it isn’t the lower rung of cheap shops

Got the sofa cover which is always on the front advert for temu. Its brightened up my old sofa alot and cost £7 so saves me spending a huge amount on a new sofa and that's good for the environment too (that I've kept my old one)

Anyway, why are people even buying clothes? What do you need them for? I just tip up bits of my carrot every 9 months and string it all together to make a carpet tracksuit. What are you all buying so many clothes for when you can just fashion it out of what you have in your home?