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Alternative to Shein?

70 replies

Ridelikethewindypops · 06/04/2025 08:07

I know fast fashion is bad for the planet, but is there any ethical/ not trashy online alternative to Shein? We live very rurally and struggle to find shops suitable for 15yr old dd going to teen discos. Any suggestions?

OP posts:
SussexLass87 · 06/04/2025 08:15

Vinted all the way - I get my tween DC so many great quality clothes there for not much money at all.

BlondeMummyto1 · 06/04/2025 08:16

Pretty Little Thing. We have a delivery pass for get free next day delivery for a year.

It’s not the best but good for teens.

ExtraOnions · 06/04/2025 08:19

…depends if you think a cheap sparkly outfit is worth the destruction of the planet, and the exploitation of people in the third world.

Buy fewer, pricier clothes, and wear them more than once,

Doggymummar · 06/04/2025 08:19

All the fast fashion brands compare as bad as each other misguided, pretty little thing boohoo. Plastic tat. But if you buy it second hand it's slightly better.

Ridelikethewindypops · 06/04/2025 14:54

Thanks

OP posts:
QuillBill · 06/04/2025 15:17

I also think that they are all as bad as each other. Some clothing places are buying their stuff of Shein and upselling it anyway.

QuillBill · 06/04/2025 15:18

For example this company. Every one of their items is from Shein but ten times the price.

https://thecollarcollection.com/collections/the-classic

Pullmeunder · 06/04/2025 15:24

I’d second vinted, so many options and a lot of the teen stuff barely worn due to people growing out of sizes quickly etc

ComtesseDeSpair · 06/04/2025 15:59

I buy virtually everything with the exception of underwear from Vinted. I get amazing clothes for a fraction of their original cost, and am not bound by what happens to be currently in fashion. Of the hundreds of items I’ve bought over the years, I can count on one hand how many items have been not as described.

It’s absolutely the place for party and occasion clothes - so many young women buy really good quality occasion outfits, prom dresses, things to wear for weddings etc, wear them once, and then sell them on often for little more than you’d buy on Shein.

TheRealMaudOHara · 06/04/2025 16:12

Seconding Vinted. I've stopped buying new clothes almost altogether now. There are also some newish eBay shops popping up which sell vintage clothes at really great prices. Its a lot and the descriptions can be a bit vague but if you search by brand or fabric (ie 'cashmere' or 'J Crew' etc) and have time for an idle scroll, you can get really beautiful stuff for Shein prices.

Wexone · 06/04/2025 16:29

there is no alternative to shein. its cheap labour exploiting environment damaging company. for teens better to educate them on good quality clothing. Andrea chong on tik tok is excellent. there is a reason why things are cheap.echoing as people say above vinted all the way. also if you live in big city's get to know the good charity shops. some in the affluent areas get unreal stuff. companies like bohoo pretty little things asos etc are all same as shein. even more annoying is pretty little things owns Debenhams karen millen coast etc all churning out cheap polyester stuff

Wexone · 06/04/2025 16:38

just to add as well sometimes double check pics to see if they are genuine on Google as alot of what happening lately is clothing being bought of shein and relabelled as cos etc or using ai generated pics

clarrylove · 06/04/2025 16:41

Vinted, Depop, charity shops, clothes swishes, jumble sales, vintage markets, car boot sales etc

vandelle · 06/04/2025 16:58

Show me the fashion store online that is ethical, and inexpensive. Then I'll use it.

Nothing wrong with Shein or equivalent. If you want to be ethical and green etc. be prepared to pay £££££s. And even then it's not guaranteed that they are.

Vinted is a good alternative. But I'm not a fan of buying second hand without seeing it in real life, like in a charity shop.

ColourlessGreenIdeasSleepFuriously · 06/04/2025 17:07

vandelle · 06/04/2025 16:58

Show me the fashion store online that is ethical, and inexpensive. Then I'll use it.

Nothing wrong with Shein or equivalent. If you want to be ethical and green etc. be prepared to pay £££££s. And even then it's not guaranteed that they are.

Vinted is a good alternative. But I'm not a fan of buying second hand without seeing it in real life, like in a charity shop.

Nonsense. Just buy second hand or swap.

ColourlessGreenIdeasSleepFuriously · 06/04/2025 17:11

But I'm not a fan of buying second hand without seeing it in real life

But buying shite sight unseen across the planet is fine. Make it make sense 🤔

Newmeagain · 06/04/2025 17:19

It makes me so angry that people feel entitled to buy cheap shit that is only cheap because of terrible exploitation.

OP - would you like your DD to be working 16 hour shifts in a sweat shop, for £1 per hour?

MaMaMaMaBaker · 06/04/2025 17:19

I'm voting for Vinted as well. Turn the brightness up to have a really good look at the item. Look for good quality materials and trusted brands. Don't necessarily go for the cheapest thing because you want the postage to be worth it.

I've got some absolute knockout stuff on there. I get loads of compliments.

XiCi · 06/04/2025 17:26

Teen dd and her friends buy their second hand clothes from Depop. I would say Vinted is for an older age group (like me 🙂)

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 06/04/2025 17:30

Vinted etc. would be ok if sizing was the same across the board. I'm not buying something I can't try on and return and I'm not working at the moment so can't risk losing out by reselling.

ColinOfficeTrolley · 06/04/2025 17:47

ExtraOnions · 06/04/2025 08:19

…depends if you think a cheap sparkly outfit is worth the destruction of the planet, and the exploitation of people in the third world.

Buy fewer, pricier clothes, and wear them more than once,

Always one morally superior being who has to comment 🙄

vandelle · 06/04/2025 17:52

ColourlessGreenIdeasSleepFuriously · 06/04/2025 17:11

But I'm not a fan of buying second hand without seeing it in real life

But buying shite sight unseen across the planet is fine. Make it make sense 🤔

Buying second hand on Vinted is a pain. Often it's not what you thought, and exchanging and returning, refunding is not easy. Clothing can be marked, smelly, ripped and so on.

I can see what I'm buying in a charity shop and try it on.

I have no issue with people who use Shein/Temu etc. I use it myself occasionally and I have no issue with doing that. I am unable to solve the problems of the world all by myself.

If the Government was really interested in the eco/ethics they could ban outlets like Shein. But they don't do they? So why should I bother doing their job for them?

MinPinSins · 06/04/2025 17:53

ColinOfficeTrolley · 06/04/2025 17:47

Always one morally superior being who has to comment 🙄

They're right though? Or do shein shoppers some how need to be protected from thinking about the consequences of their purchases.

MinPinSins · 06/04/2025 17:57

vandelle · 06/04/2025 17:52

Buying second hand on Vinted is a pain. Often it's not what you thought, and exchanging and returning, refunding is not easy. Clothing can be marked, smelly, ripped and so on.

I can see what I'm buying in a charity shop and try it on.

I have no issue with people who use Shein/Temu etc. I use it myself occasionally and I have no issue with doing that. I am unable to solve the problems of the world all by myself.

If the Government was really interested in the eco/ethics they could ban outlets like Shein. But they don't do they? So why should I bother doing their job for them?

This just shows how little you know about government. It's pretty hard to just ban things without support of the people and unfortunately we are overrun with people like you who don't give a shit.

If no one bought shein, they wouldn't be destroying the planet with their cheap plastic. You might not be able to be the solution but you can choose not to en part of the problem.

And if you don't care about the planets you must care about the slaves who make your clothes? Or is that ok because they are far away?

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