China: Behind Shein's low prices, "large-scale exploitation" denounced again

It has become a symbol of the excesses of the textile industry: the ultra-fast fashion giant Shein is more than ever under fire from critics . To defend itself, the company often highlights its "on-demand" production model. A model that is now being singled out by two NGOs for its impact on working conditions in China.

In a report published this week, ActionAid France and China Labor Watch denounce the "large-scale exploitation" carried out by informal subcontractors of the fashion giant. Their investigation focuses on the workers of Kangle, one of the urban villages of Canton (Guangzhou), marked by extreme density. This "invisible" immigrant workforce, of rural origin, does not work directly for Shein... but for micro-workshops, which are allegedly used by the brand's direct suppliers, particularly during periods of peak production.

According to the report, which is based on testimonies and field observations, this "massive subcontracting system" leads to the exploitation of people on the ground. ActionAid reports a "miserable daily life," with working days of at least 11 hours to earn a decent income, 6 to 7 days a week. These workers, often employed without contracts, are reportedly "excluded from basic social protection systems," thus increasing their vulnerability. Added to these appalling conditions are "the absence of health and safety protections," as well as "gender-based violence."

Women, the majority, are not always paid independently: couples are "generally paid as a single entity," reports ActionAid. In the absence of status, these workers must also choose between leaving their children in the countryside or taking them to the factories. One worker even told China Labor Watch that she had worked since she was 15 in a workshop supplying Shein. When contacted, the retailer cited "unfounded accusations and speculative claims," saying it was committed "to creating a safe working environment for all employees of its third-party suppliers."

The company is under pressure in France, where a bill aims to regulate its practices. Members of Parliament and senators are expected to agree on a joint text by the start of the school year. "The version voted on by the Senate is not completely without merit," says ActionAid France, but "remains blind to the fundamental issue of human rights" and " de facto exonerates European brands ."

Dominique Potier , Socialist Party MP for Meurthe-et-Moselle, says no different: "Shein must not be the tree that hides the forest," he insists. The elected official introduced the 2017 law on the "duty of vigilance," which obliges multinationals established in France to prevent serious human rights violations by their subcontractors. A pioneering text, which has since inspired the European Union. But Brussels now intends to "simplify" the directive and reduce its scope, with the approval of Paris. "That would be a considerable step backward," warns Dominique Potier. The MP will organize a citizens' march between Roubaix and Brussels from September 21 to 23 "to awaken public opinion and influence the vote in the European Parliament," which is scheduled to take place in October. The socialist also attacked Shein in 2023, by contacting the French branch of the OECD. He has high expectations for the conclusions of the investigation, the publication of which is now imminent.