Is Shein any good for clothing?

[cottagegardenflower]

Just that really

I’m beginning to wonder if anyone has ever been to China. In the main people wear poor quality clothes from man made fabrics. Most people are still relatively poor. Of course there are better shops but the majority cannot afford higher quality fabrics and design. So retailers like Shein are the norm.

You might also not be aware that consumer law isn’t the same in China. On line shops have pictures of garments, but that’s not what you receive. The Chinese put up with it. In conversation it’s apparent that having a high street retailer such as M&S sell you exactly the same article that’s in the shop isn’t what happens there.

Importing this tat is just wrong. Other decent companies check their factories and working conditions in them. You pay for this and rightly so. These companies are not the same as Shein. They understand the backlash of getting it wrong. Remember the sweat shops on Leicester furore? Pay more and try to buy well.

Totally agree with this. I am not well off by any stretch of the imagination, some might say I'm on the bones of my arse but I still would not buy from glaringly obvious fast fashion companies like Shein. They give me anxiety just thinking about them. I find lots of quality items in charity shops and for second hand. Yes I may do other things that have an impact on the environment but most people do, we eat meat for nutrition and driving cars is damaging but useful. Why would we encourage something as needless as 'fast fashion'.

Exactly @LadyLothbrook. Phones are useful and last a long time, cars are necessary for a lot of people and most people don't drive "gas guzzlers". Cheap clothes that are not as described and made of nasty fabrics are not necessary, even before you get into the ethical issues.

Everything is on a spectrum - you can eat no meat, or eat meat every day; not own a car or own a gas guzzler; you can buy ethical clothes or you can shop at Shein. Those are the extremes and most people are in the middle. With clothes, why would you choose to do the worst possible option when there are so many alternatives?

Where did all the "I literally can't afford anything else [Primark, second hand, end of season sales in H&M/Asos/supermarkets?]" people shop before Shein? They've only been around a few years! And I don't believe all of their millions of customers are in the position of buying Shein clothes or going naked. Probably almost none, really.

H&M, primark and ASOS are not ethical at all.

Interestingly no one kicks off about how awful nestle are on the hundreds of threads asking about nespresso machines. Wonder why

Or the use of child labour in factories supplying toys to fisher price, Mattel, Disney.. really the list could go on, most things we consume are unethical, the solution is a bit more than just telling people not to buy a swimming costume from shein

There's a huge overlap between people concerned about fast fashion and concerned about plastic toys, or where our food comes from. And even if there weren't, do you think people should go "ah, fuck it. I've got a Nespresso machine, might as well stock up on some poor quality clothes made by slaves"

I love shein and have bought loads from them, including swimsuits.

What is it you are trying to say? We can't tell people that Shein are the shittiest of the shittiest in the world of fast-fashion becuase other unethical producers also exists? This particular thread is about Shein. It's worth pointing out what a truly despicable company they are, because everyone does not know and they continue to shop from them.

Agree and they have lasted me a long time. I ordered them about 4 years ago and they are still going perfectly

I'll tell you where is really good for clothes, and swimwear especially: 'Used' on eBay!
Literally 100s of brands and sizes in one place, and mostly in very good nick, having only been lightly used. I've just bought two awesome Gottex costumes for a fraction of the RRP. They might as well be new, one even has the tags on. I'd never be able to afford them new, as with most of the clothes I buy. I buy 99% of my family's clothing used on eBay, FB or in second hand shops, barring underwear and specific branded school uniform items. It's a really neat way of not contributing to the unethical mess which is the fashion industry in general.
And Ntsure, you're playing the purity card and it's wilfully disingenuous.

I think I’d be happy ordering most things secondhand from eBay but would draw the line at not obviously new swimwear

I know, Fern, and I'm being a little facetious. Personally, I'm not squeamish, as I generally think well of other people and presume they are as clean and lovely as I am. Someone else's washed swimming costume isn't going to do me in; I reserve my icks for other things ;)
But I honestly despair at the huge amounts of non-biodegradable textiles that are produced in energy and resource-heavy manufacturing processes, only to last for a couple of seasons and then end up in landfill. We could cut so much of it by bypassing new clothing altogether, and those who can afford to, support ethical brands.

I've ordered a couple of hundred pounds worth of stuff previously and returned half of it with no issues whatsoever.

Im just about to return some more items that didn't suit, but I've probably kept a dozen this time.

swimsuit wise I find they're small on the chest area so didn't work for me, but I do like their summer tops etc and find them relatively true to size.

And yes, I'm aware it's fast fashion, but I've hunted high and low for stuff I want in a particular style and cannot find it. Shein had it and I was happy to order.

Same! I’m far from comfortably off but I won’t buy from Shein and others of its ilk. Charity shops and private sellers on eBay all the way.

"With no issues whatsoever" ... except that all that returned stuff is probably now lying in a rubbish tip

But they are demonstrably better than Shein!

This is like pulling teeth.

Comparisons to a phone are pointless ...

The iPhone I'm on is years old, I'll use it every day until it stops working.

The same can't be said for a shit cossie from Shein.

Comparisons to a phone are pointless
Nope sorry, you don't get away that lightly!
It's all part of the same thing, consumption and weighing up longevity vs use vs impact. Hence threads like Is x brand good quality.

It's hypocritical to denounce someone for their fashion choices but insist that your choices are beyond scrutiny.

I didn't say my choices - plural - were.

I am saying comparing the use of a piece of tech that is involved in all aspects of my life which I purchased reconditioned and will use until it literally will no longer function (at which point I will do the same) is COMPLETELY different to buying a cheap piece of clothing on a regular basis which may be worn a handful of times before possibly ending up in landfill.

Its absolutely not the same

But who will still a) fit into and b) want to wear and c) be likely to be in the same stage of life for "a lifetime"?

People say this all the time but it's such shit!

How many 60 year olds would still fit into the "decent quality" pieces they bought when they were 30?

Me and my friends were of the age and salary where MN suggests we should start buying decent quality pieces a few years ago c. 2019 - now all those "slim cut trousers" "white shirts" "lbd" "smart coats" etc have been donated because we now all work from home/have babies so wear messy joggers and hoodies 90 percent of the time.

Stylish slim fit jeans have been binned for mom jeans rather than looking out of date. The expensive leather mid calf boots no longer fit with said mom jeans so haven't been worn.

Other friends have moved from abroad to UK or vice versa so have needed to get completely different wardrobes.

The expensive quality dress you buy looks great for the first wedding you wear it to but by the 4th with the same crowd people think you're either odd or poor. Etc etc.

Plus even the more expensive t shirts etc I've had have started to go bobbly and lose shape after 20 washes so why not get some for £3 from primark rsther than £30 each from boden?

I don't actually buy much new clothing at all but the idea of a capsule wardrobe is very dated.

Shein- agree its very hit and miss. The reviews themselves aren't particularly helpful but the ones with photos on different sized bodies are great. Often you can see that the photo on the website is nothing like the real thing. I think their returns system is supposed to be a lot better now than it was a year ago.

Agree the individual zip bags are a bit unnecessary but at least they can be reused unlike normal plastic packaging when you buy online -I use them on holiday to carry toiletries when I'm flying, to separate used and clean clothes or types of clothes in my suitcase and when I'm home just to store stuff e.g I've got all my charging cables in one, hair bobbles, clips etc in another.

Well, you had to wait until the next day but look, Mumsnet delivered:

Are you typing this on a phone? Are you aware of the way the necessary rare earth minerals are mined by child slaves in the Congo? That's not ok either.

Some people have a phone but don't eat meat. Some buy fast fashion but don't fly. Nobody in the modern world can do it all, and that's what I mean about trade offs.

I know it, there are lots of blog post about Shein.
After read these blogs, I found if you don't except so high about the quality, you will get a very satisfied shopping experience. Lots of style, cheapest price, fast shipping.