Shein: A Way Forward

 Due to the severe negativity that surrounds the Shein brand, much change is needed in order to reconcile its issues. Shein is widely seen as a company that is lacking in morals, integrity, and overall trustworthiness. Fixing this global view will take reworking the entire business model from the roots. Fast Fashion, in Shein's case, generates an incredible amount of waste, from the production of the materials used in the clothing to the rapidly filling landfills across the world. Shein needs to first develop a strategy to produce the necessary materials used in the clothing without using forced labor from the Xianjing region and without generating pollution equivalent to 180 coal-powered power plants. Reusability of these new materials is imperative as recyclability is another major component of the business that urgently needs to be improved upon. 

Following Chinese employee labor laws is an additional issue that needs to be rectified. By hiring additional employees the plants would have more freedom in scheduling, thus providing employees with additional time off and much-needed breaks. Developing a strict audit system, rather than the relaxed program that currently exists, that visits Shein suppliers frequently is a key component of improving employee satisfaction and overall health. This audit system should ensure employees are working within labor laws at all times, have adequate breaks, are provided access to easily accessible fire exits in case of emergency, and have much more lenient penalties if mistakes are made. 

Bangladesh child labor in clothing factories

Transparency and honesty are the values that negatively impact Shein the most. This issue is especially apparent in the United States' initial public offering situation. Shein continuously fails to provide evidence to support the claims that it does not use forced labor in the creation of its final products and fabrics although they claim otherwise. Consistently stealing designs from fashion artists who do not have the necessary funds to fight the copyright issue is also a persistent issue in the Shein business model, while they, again, claim otherwise. It seems to be extraordinarily common for the direct responses from Shein to be completely opposite from the truth within the organization. For this reason, it is imperative that Shein begins to implement major ethical changes when issues of this caliber are brought forth or, at the very least, show that some effort, other than empty words, is being made. 

Shein is very much a consequentialist company in which their goals appear to be only sales with little concern about the process of getting there. I would recommend Shein shifts towards the Deontological framework, the duty framework, as they need a major shift towards the duties and obligations they have for their employees, consumers, and the world at large. Rather than focusing solely on the end sales amount and disregarding the overwhelming negative impact being caused, Shein needs to see the value in making correct moral decisions throughout the production, distribution, and recycling of their products. Shifting to this framework would be an immense change for a company so focused on sales, but I believe it is entirely necessary to correct the employee, consumer, and environmental issues described throughout this blog. 

Shein leaves much to be improved upon and it has yet to be seen if they will begin acting on their promises and supposed core values. It is difficult to determine exactly where to begin in fixing the business model, but in order to maintain sustainability into the future something must change, and fast. As more media continues to be produced about the negative impact Shein produces on the world, the brand image will continue to decline until the point that it is entirely unsalvageable. If Shein hopes to continue expansion and to remain the largest online fashion store in the world ethical issues must be moved to the forefront of their operation.