To think Shein has upped it’s game

[Ikeasucks]

Their stuff looks lovely (online on skinny models anyway) - have heard a few good things recently as i had written them off a few years ago. Anyone use them and happy with the product, quality, returns etc

i hate online clothes shop but the high street/town centers are dead in many places now so options are really limited often to just M&S, Next, H&M or Primark

You aren't being bullied. You are on a discussion forum. If you don't like people challenging what you say, then don't participate in the discussions.

The fact is that by buying products from these companies you are actively supporting some incredibly shady business practices. If you can live with that, fine, but don't pretend like you don't have a choice here to not do that or that you have any sort of moral high ground here.

It's more ethical than shein. Which is why it's such a farse to describe shopping elsewhere as a "battle". It's so easy (and affordable) to do so much better.

This argument that nobody can be 100% ethical unless they live in a cave and eat nettles so unless you are you can't criticise is just so pointless.

Nobody can be 100% perfect, carbon-free, consuming nothing. But we all make choices. Choices such as not having a car or going vegan are quite big lifestyle changes for many and involve a huge level of commitment. Others like actively choosing public transport or doing 2 meat free days a week - less commitment.

Choosing not to shop at Shein/Temu/Cider involves no effort whatsoever.

Primark has a better ethical standing than Shein as evidenced by a number of independent assessments, including Good On You that I referenced above.

they acted promptly to terminate suppliers when labour issues were discovered almost 20 years ago and have sought to continuously improve practices since.

Meanwhile Shein literally don’t care. They’re happy to use forced and child labour. To support that is abhorrent. To defend it is vile.

Their designs are often stolen from smaller/independent makers/designers, they don't ask permission, oay to use the designs or credit the original designers

Stolen designs made by slave labour

Wouldn't touch them with a bargepole

Primark is a British owned company with transparent business practices governed by English law. Although I rarely buy anything these days, I would never in a million years buy from Temu or Shein, not least because it's mostly plastic crap.

You only need to watch what goes into the tip to realise how wasteful and consumerist people are. My neighbours replacing two perfectly good bathrooms because they wanted a more modern style, and perfectly good furniture going in the skip - please don't do this. And don't get me started on their single use plastic usage. Most of it not recycled but ending up in landful. Shameful.

Primark is also bound by very strong legislation concerning fire safety.

Shein isn't.

Exactly. Fair enough if you don’t give a crap about the ethics (although just own it rather than trying to justify it) but I can’t get my head around exposing yourself and your family to god knows what for the sake of a few quid - especially when there’s so much as good as new second hand stuff available that just needs a quick wash! If it’s a choice between second hand and my children’s safety then second hand everytime!

Primark is Irish - I think the parent company is called Penney's. But yes, they stick to European safety standards and ethics.

Primark is owned by Associated British Foods.

Well said. Mumsnet is a bit of a middle class bubble sometimes who forget what little money most of the country has. Or headspace to always be environmentally minded.
The job I do is low paid but puts a lot of good in the world. I’m a good person. We all lack somewhere, and if Shein is my flaw then I’m okay with that. As are millions in the country.

and if Shein is my flaw then I’m okay with that.

It’s not your kids and family working in these factories so that makes it ok.

Yes I love all the variations in length, size, colour for the same items. Just knowing I can find what I’m looking for no matter how unique it is in my imagination.

There will be plenty you do that causes harm to others.

It's not our kids in Gaza ... But we still worry about our first world problems?

Oh please. You shop on shein because you like "alternative" fashion. It's nothing to do with money or headspace.

I tbink it's naive to believe clothes from high street shops do not originate from yhe same factories that produce for Temu and Shein.

Thanks for your support. We can't all be eco warriors/ethical warriors. I'd rather speak to someone that is honest and gives a truthful answer than virtue signal. It'd be so much easier on here for me to give it all the 'right on' flannel

Which is why the planet is doomed. It is possible to make ethical choices with little money.

• use markets for fruit and veg - little packaging and cheaper and better quality
• stop washing clothing that has only been worn once - saves water, energy, laundry powder and reduced wear and tear on clothes
• walk if you can
• if you can't walk it, can you cycle it?
• stop buying plastic packaged food wherever you can
• make your own yoghurt, cheap easy and less plastic
• turn the water off whilst you are lathering hair and body in the shower
• buy bar soap not gel, cheaper and lasts a lot longer
• use laundry sheets or powder that comes in cardboard
• stop buying new clothes, you can only wear one pair of jeans at a time etc etc

Absolutely...

A look doesn’t have to mean a certain lifestyle. Sometimes it’s just a look people want to have. Most environmentalists I’ve known and seen have been jeans and tee kind of people.

Tell me you're very middle class that's never dealt with a major personal problem in your life without telling me you're very middle class and have never had major personal/family/health major upheaval?

I mean "make your own yoghurt" that's the most middle class lack of awareness I've heard in a while.

Yes because obviously people who have never had "personal upheaval" can choose not to shop at Shein or swap shower gel for bar soap (which is cheaper).

You are totally failing in making your justifications here.

Exactly.
I don’t drive.. bet most of these posters do.
I don’t travel on planes.. bet they go on holiday several times a year.
I only eat organic and grow my own veg.
ETC
My choices, I don’t preach about them.

We all give and take to the environment, if we really weighed up against each other I’m sure some of them would be lacking.