Child labour discovered at Shein suppliers.

[HoxtHun]

Here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/08/23/child-labour-discovered-shein-suppliers-london-stock-market/

What about them?

What's wrong with it?

I just thought the same. People buy from these sites because they're cheap and the first alternative suggested is £109 for a pair of jeans!

Kind of missing the point aren't they?

To be fair to Community Clothing. They have some basic items that are comparable in price to the "higher end" highstreet brands.

Of course your average Shein shopper isn't going to be interested in a plain white tshirt costing £25+ or a £90 pair of jeans, but people are already paying similar prices in places like Hush, Mint Velvet, John Lewis etc.

They are B-Corp companies. It followed on from my previous comment directly before.

This should not be a surprise to ANYONE. Shein = Shite.

However, the shallow and fast-fashion obsessed who need a new item for every night out or who buy endless hauls of "bits" won't give a shiny shite about their labour practices, as long as their tat is cheap.

Sooner we come up with some sort of fast fashion tax like they have in France the better.

@HelloMiss I posted those in particular for fashion forward choices rather than utilitarian/smock choices to at are often mentioned not for pricing.

I quite like Nomads Clothing, which are Fair Trade.

They used to be more hippie-like and some of their items still are, but there are also lots of decent basics, nice work trousers and dresses, jackets, etc., all fair trade.

https://nomadsclothing.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwiaa2BhAiEiwAQBgyHpGAMlms3SS5rY0_uP5jy0s8KzNldXIKShBgojwSWCp7OLCk4vkKlBoCvXMQAvD_BwE

Well I am honest about it. Eg Oliver Bonas and Boden don’t seem quite as keen to shout it from the rooftops that a lot of their items are made abroad eg in China. I had a lovely pair of Oliver Bonas earrings as a gift last year and they barely lasted a couple of months before breaking.

This

This is so true. I volunteer in a charity shop, we are only a small unit and have to be picky about what we put out. We don't put out any clothes unless we think we can get £3 or more for them. Fast fashion brands like Shein, ASOS, Pretty Little Thing, Primark, Cider are so poorly made that they are worth nothing second hand. Nobody wants them. Even BNWT they are difficult to shift. We might have more success with heavier weight dresses or winter coats but all the wee summer dresses or tops - just no chance anyone wants them second hand.

Agree with the poster who suggested charity shops for new work dresses - you'd pay £8 - £10 in our shop for second hand M&S, Hobbs, Zara, up to £20 if it's BNWT.

These places change the base line in terms of what people expect to pay for clothes. I was a student in the 1990s and we really did wear holey jumpers and second hand Levi’s. I remember looking at jumpers in Next at the time and the going rate was £30 which I didn’t have. I’d be able to get a couple of jumpers in Next now for that even after recent inflation. There used to be a lot of talk about labour conditions in sweat shops but I don’t hear as much now. I understand the cost of living issues but the wankers online with their “hauls” give the rage. I am completely unconvinced that huge numbers of the younger generation are as environmentally minded as the BBC tries to tell me, IME they are the ones pushing for new phones, cars, high end make up aged 12 and a tonne of new clothes. However, I do think Vinted is utterly fantastic, it’s the first point of call for my DCs, not for any virtuous reason, it’s just a platform that works well.

I have friends who bleat on about britains involvement in the slave trade and feel that today's tax payers who had absolutely no involvement should contribute towards more reparations. This is whilst wearing bracelets from Temu and getting their nails done cheaply in salons who are more than likely using trafficked women .

The absolute irony of the Temu ads appearing between posts on this thread.

You are absolutely right @Coughsweet I was a student in the 90s too, I remember having to buy a new pair of jeans and they were £19.99 and a real stretch on the budget, but that was the price and places like primark didn't exist. We wore things again and again until they literally fell to bits and were no use any more. Asda are now selling jeans for £12.50.

Get an add blocker, @Coolblur?

(I only remember that other people see adverts here when someone mentions them.)

Yes! the expectations around price and numbers of items of clothing we need has increased.

people expect to buy a jumper for £10. or less.

Jeans used to be a fairly expensive item so we might have one or two pairs. Now, they are so cheap we expect loads of pairs. And we don’t need that many.

I would love it if @MNHQ were more discerning in whose advertising money they accept. I mean I find it bizarre that a parenting site is hosting advertisers promoting carbon heavy travel, for instance.

Tbf half the brands MN loves to suggest are made in China or third world countries, ie Boden, Zara etc

Ha!

Really? Well they can get in the bin too

So £70 for a sack

directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/mango

search any brand

There is this point too. I bought and read a book on Chinese sweat shop workers which was an insight as most of wanted to
learn English and set up by themselves in business.

You do think too that in countries where sex work and other criminal activities take place is providing workers with work, albeit exploited too.

It does jolt you back to reality though when you realise how cheaply a garment is made and how back in the olden days you’d by them generally made in the UK and prices didn’t seem higher. Did we buy less then? I think I did only as I had my salary to live on so had to be careful with what I bought.

As of this year I don’t get my nails (regular manicures and pedicures). Yes there are salons which don’t have trafficked workers there but there are plenty that do have trafficked workers there and I know lots of people who get nails and or other beauty treatments there.