Factory workers making clothing for fast fashion giant Shein are toiling through 75-hour weeks and earning less than 1p per garment.
Although the fashion giant’s bargains, such as dresses for under a fiver, often prove irresistible to Western shoppers, they may think twice after seeing the labour conditions for workers Guangzhou.
The city in south China is home to more than 5,000 factories – many of which supply to the fast fashion retailer – where labourers are paid as little as 12 yen an hour, the equivalent of 6p.
According to a BBC report, staff routinely work in excess of 12 hours a day, seven days a week, in contravention of labour laws, and leave the textile hubs as late as 10pm and beyond.
One woman intereviewed said some 80 per cent of the labourers in the area work for Shein, which last year identified two cases of child labour in its supply chain last year.
Scrutiny over the company has been growing as it nears a £50billion market debut on the London Stock Exchange.
It made a £1.5billion profit last year but its ultra-cheap prices – including £5 dresses – have raised eyebrows.
After previous criticism for mistreating workers, Shein has insisted checks on factories have increased and that it takes action against dodgy suppliers.
One worker told the BBC that the work ethic is an expected ‘sacrifice’ they make for ‘China’s development’
In an interview with the national broadcaster one worker revealed that they get paid around 2 yen – less than one pence – per garment
One of the women the BBC spoke with had been working for Shein since they started – and says they will get ‘stronger and better’
In a new sustainability report, it said there were two instances of child labour last year.
However, it’s clear that it hasn’t stopped shoppers from adding countless £3 bodysuits and £7 mini-skirts to their baskets.
In an interview with the national broadcaster one worker revealed that they get paid around 2 yen – less than one pence – per garment.
‘It depends on how difficult the item is,’ she explained. ‘Something simple like a T-Shirt is one to two yen per piece and I can make around a dozen in an hour.
‘We earn so little. How is that enough? The cost of living is now so high.’
Thousands of labourers commute into the city’s textile hub – dubbed ‘Shein village’ – where they can pick up jobs advertised on a bulletin board, along with a clothing item exhibiting the stitching expected of them.
The city in south China houses more than 5,000 factories – many of which supply to the fast fashion retailer – and sees labourers braving 75-hour weeks, all to get just 12 yen an hour
Social media is rife with videos of workers busying away at sewing machines before packaging an item into Shein’s now-recognisable plastic bag, branded with the logo
Textile workers on social media can be seen busy at work as they operate sewing machines and package items
FEMAIL has reached out to Shein for comment, but the retailer told the BBC that it is ‘committed to ensuring the fair and dignified treatment of all workers within its supply chain’. Pictured, factory workers
While it appears the fast-fashion giant isn’t the only one buying from the factories, it’s clear it’s a powerful presence that much of the workforce supplies to.
One of the women the BBC spoke with had been working for Shein since they started – and says they will get ‘stronger and better’.
And it’s clear that many who work in the city are more than used to the loaded work schedule.
‘This is what we Chinese need to sacrifice for our country’s development,’ one labourer expressed, remarking on the culture of long hours and minimal days off.
‘If there are 31 days in a month, I will work 31 days,’ another added.
Workers are used to inhaling their lunch amid a twenty minute break, and the BBC said you could even see people offering haircuts while people tucked in for dinner.
Industrious work ethic is routine in Guangzhou, but, speaking to the outlet, David Hatchfeld of consumer group Public Eye said Shein is ‘opaque’ when it comes to transparency of working conditions in its supply chain.
‘It’s not unusual but it’s clear that it’s illegal and it violates basic human rights,’ he said of the long hours.
Industrious work ethic is routine in Guangzhou, but, speaking to the outlet, David Hatchfeld of consumer group Public Eye said Shein is ‘opaque’ when it comes to transparency of working conditions in its supply chain
Workers are used to inhaling their lunch amid a twenty minute break, and the BBC said you could even see people offering haircuts while people tucked in for dinner
‘It’s an extreme form of exploitation that happens. It needs to be visible.’
FEMAIL has reached out to Shein for comment, but the retailer told the BBC that it is ‘committed to ensuring the fair and dignified treatment of all workers within its supply chain’.
It also said it’s ‘investing tens of millions of dollars in strengthening governance and compliance’ and was ‘striving to set the highest standards for pay.’
Social media is rife with videos of workers busying away at sewing machines before packaging an item into Shein’s now-recognisable plastic bag, branded with the logo.
Workers can be seen busying away at the stations, dozens of packages piled up beside them.
Speaking to ITV last year, Peng Yuqi, a workshop manager, opened up about the opportunities companies like Shein have provided for local garment-making hubs in China.
‘I hear from my friends and colleagues in other countries, their living costs are pretty high. But “made in China” can help lower the costs.
‘I think it is an honour for us. We’re bringing convenience to people with “made in China”.’
Speaking to ITV last year, Peng Yuqi, a workshop manager, opened up about the opportunities companies like Shein have provided for local garment-making hubs in China
Pictured: Factory workers, the likes of which often supply to Shein, pictured in an ITV report from last year
Shein, founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, has been criticised for using suppliers who exploit low-paid workers in China to sell its clothes at knockdown prices. And by shipping directly from Asia to online shoppers, it avoids custom taxes.
Its market debut would be be one of the City’s biggest in history. But the British Fashion Council has expressed concerns over the plans amid worries Shein uses unethical practices to undercut other retailers.
Fashion campaigner Venetia La Manna and writer Grace Blakeley’s petition to ‘Say No’ to Shein’s listing has already got more than 43,000 signatures.
It says Shein’s bargains come from exploiting its workers and dodging taxes. Retail guru and ‘Queen of the Shops’ Mary Portas is among the big names to back the campaign. But Shein said that last year 3,990 audit checks were conducted on Chinese suppliers and subcontractors, mostly by third-party agencies.
The company plans to increase the amount of clothes manufactured in Turkey – a move it hopes will reduce criticism.
A backlash in the US, including from industry group the National Retail Federation, was one of the reasons Shein ditched its original plans to float in New York.
It also faced opposition from Florida senator Marco Rubio, partly due to claims that it has used cotton from forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region. Shein insisted it has a ‘zero tolerance policy for forced labour’.
And a report in May from advocacy group Public Eye revealed some workers endure 75-hour weeks. In the UK, Shein has hired top PR firms and joined the British Retail Consortium in a bid to win over the business community.
Donald Tang, the company’s executive chairman, has held talks with the London Stock Exchange and Labour Party officials.
Founded in 2012, Shein has enjoyed an explosion in popularity thanks to budget-conscious younger shoppers in 150 countries, using what it describes as a unique business model and efficient supply chain to keep prices low.
In 2023, it bought UK brand Missguided from Mike Ashley’s firm Frasers. Its designs have been advertised by celebrities including reality TV star Georgia Toffolo.