Shien versus Uniqlo?

[TurquoiseTurtoise]

Saw Uniqlo being compared to Shien as a fast fashion brand, am I missing something? Or the person in the video never really shopped at Uniqlo?

I don’t know how suistanable Uniqlo is but I see them as reasonable quality for reasonable price and a timeless style?

I have some Uniqlo pieces that are lasting ages

Well it depends on definitions but by the one that defines a fast fashion brand as one that minimises profit margin and relies on volume for profit, then Uniqlo and Shein would both be categorised as fast fashion brands. It doesn't matter what the items look like or how they're made if the objection by the person in the video is against the business model as opposed to the wide variety of quality it produces.

I suppose both are at a price point where many people can buy lots of it regularly. However I think the difference is Uniqlo sell quality basics. I have had Uniqlo clothes for several years and they are still good to wear regularly as part of my wardrobe foundations.

I am currently wearing an oversized merino wool mix cardi from Uniqlo that was a collaboration with Marni. I bought it last year but fully intend it to be a long term part of my winter wardrobe.

Uniqlo is a million times better. I have stuff from Uniqlo that is over 4 years old. Plus they have natural fabrics, unlike Shein.

I’ve never bought from Shein (mostly for ethical reasons but also I’ve never seen any appealing pieces) but I do buy regularly from Uniqlo and like PPs, have some tops that are 7-8 years old and still looking good.

agree with @botemp though that they’re not exactly a go-to ethical brand, despite the natural fabrics and high quality.

Indeed they are not an ethical brand at all, but their clothes do last a lot longer and they use better fabrics.

I suspect loads of clothing brands (the more affordable ones) are ethically dubious. But I don't see Uniqlo as a fashion brand. It's not the go to place for party clothes at short notice. And I've got loads of stuff from them that has lasted years.

I have things from Uniqlo that are over a decade old, which is pretty good going, especially for trousers as I can be tough on them.

If high volume is a criteria for 'fast fashion' then surely that would include a lot of brands that we would normally think of as regular wear, like M&S. I guess if you are the type of person to only wear something for one season and then discard it then plenty of brands would be fast fashion. I, personally, think of fast fashion as clothing that is such a strong style that it looks outdated after a few months/a year or clothing that is badly made and falls apart within months. So, by my definition, plenty of Shein clothing is fast fashion but very little of Uniqlo is.

I've never bought from Shein, mostly because it's almost all polyester. I have bought some summer dresses from Asos which I do think of as fast fashion and I was a bit dubious about, but they were cotton and I've worn them a lot over the last four summers and I will continue to wear them.

According to Good on You Uniqlo is rated as ‘It’s a start’ 3/5
https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/uniqlo

Shein is ‘we avoid’ 1/5

https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/shein

As a comparison Toast, Arket and Seasalt are both ‘not good enough’ 2/5

Fast fashion means cashing in on recent trends at high speed and constantly bringing out new ranges with a high turnover, and low price points. It's all about getting the hot new trend from drawing board to shops in the shortest time possible, milking it while it's hot and then moving onto the next thing.

Surely that's the total opposite of Uniqlo's approach? If I wanted a pair of silver trousers for a new year party then that's the last place I'd go. If I wanted to replace the Heattech T shirt I bought from there 5 years ago then they're probably still stocking it or something very similar: you can't say that at Shein.

Uniqlo is nothing like Shein. I don't touch Shein or a number of other similar 'fashion' retailers, who seem hellbent on destroying the market place. I've items from Uniqlo that just go on and on, great basics that seems to be indestructible, that wash and wear very well. I even bought a few duplicate tops in a sale, about five years ago, and they are still in their bags as the original items are going strong, despite repeated washing. Perhaps the person is the video is paid to voice such an opinion by Shein? My local charity shop is heaving with Shein items, overwhelmingly so, but I've just to find anything by Uniqlo in a charity shop.

Somewhat contrarily, I've come to the conclusion that fast fashion is now so fast it is now slow. Simply because the speed at which fast fashion is churned out means that fashion generally has become so diverse recognisable trends are obsolete. So Uniqlo or Shein? I would wear the clothes you will think you like the best and will keep on liking and wanting to wear. The speed of fashion is partly down to the consumers - it's not like clothes go 'off'.

One thing I certainly don't agree with is using clothes as some sort of virtue signalling exercise.

There’s probably plenty of room for improvement in Uniqlo’s supply chain, but it stands to reason that the brand charging £30 for a sweater will pay a higher price to the manufacturer than the brand charging £4. And the customer paying £30 probably has a higher expectation of product quality, which means the brand will be more fussy with their suppliers.

What Shein do marvellously well , and way more effectively than pretty much any other brand, fast fashion or not, is release 100's of new lines weekly and programme their app to throw promo after promo at you so it's almost stupid not to take them up and get that extra top, for example.

They encourage over consumption of epic proportions.

Harmful fashion brands are not just about the use of slave labour which is the excuse so many people use for continuing to use a brand like Shein

I consider both to be unethical fast fashion brands but Shein is worse.

What definition of "fast fashion" are you using? There are ethical and environmental issues throughout the garment industry and I'm sure Uniqlo has its fair share, but words should have meanings.

I’ve been buying in both stores for years, Uniqlo pieces are beautiful, timeless and great quality clothes that would last me for ages (think 3 years), Uniqlo is low price. Shein clothes look and feel extremely cheap so I end up returning 90% of all Shein hauls, it’s for that reason I hardly buy Shein anymore. The only thing I like about Shein are it’s incredibly cheap household items, but the clothes and shoes are an absolute joke. Unless you’re buying stuff like t shirts, tights or socks I would avoid Shein like the plague.

The Uniqlo collaborations ( Ines De La Fressange, Compton Des Cottoniers) are particularly good value, with pure wool and cotton blazers, jumpers and dresses. I don't think Shein does anything but polyester or acrylic.

3 years? Cripes that doesn't seem very long to me at all.

That is very interesting - thanks for sharing.

I buy basics from Uniqlo and I am very aware that they are not a particularly sustainable brand. But I have to buy basics (thermal tops, PJs, etc) somewhere and I do keep them for a long time. My experience of Shein is limited to hearing about them from others and seeing their items in charity shops. I don’t think they can be compared.

Flip I wore a uniqlo v neck last week that is, on reflection, 19 or 20 years old.

The merino cardis I had from them of the same era were incredible and never ever bobbled. When I lost one and had to replace it (a mere 8 years later), the new one was noticeably worse quality.

That's what I thought too. I've got masses of stuff, much older than that.

I describe Uniqlo as fast fashion because it responds quickly to markets trends but despite talking a good talk about 'policies', I've seen little evidence that it is paying fair wages and providing fair working conditions for its workers, or of any initiatives that have actively reduced water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain. The allegations of using cotton sourced from Xinjiang were a particular cause for concern for me.

@notcontent I really like that website, it is helpful, but yes I don’t always achieve only buying from highly rated companies - even Patagonia doesn’t get full marks.

Surely Uniqlo is more like M&S or Gap. It sells everyday stuff you’re supposed to wear to death. Shein is among the teens I know more the source of cheap “going out” stuff that will only be worn once or twice.