If you love Temu and Shein, maybe you don’t love fashion at all

For several months now, the YouTube algorithm has persistently interrupted the videos I watch with ads featuring a catchy jingle that goes, “I like it, it's mine. The prices blow my mind, I feel so rich, I feel like a billionaire, I'm shopping like a billionaire”. This commercial belongs to Temu, the online shopping megastore. The mere attempt of a company to create a "billionaire" vibe by offering extremely cheap clothing gives me goosebumps. Temu and Shein are prime examples where ultra-low cost meets mega-fast fashion, but rather than democratizing style, they're tearing it down from the inside.

Is fashion just about buying as many clothes as you can? I used to think it was all about style, charisma, and owning your own vibe, not about drowning in a sea of low-quality items that you get bored of in a minute and spot on every other person. Thanks to the "haul" culture, we've been led to believe that the larger our order, the more fashion lovers we are. Well, it's time to call out these myths and flip the script.

Here are some scary reasons why these businesses could lead to a potential fashion disaster:

• Right now, the most inexpensive items on these sites are a dress for just over €2 at Temu and a top for just over €1 at Shein. Regardless of how small or basic the garment is, do you believe it's possible that suppliers aren't being squeezed with these prices?
• Statista reports that SHEIN added around 260,000 new SKUs (stock keeping units) in 2021, a notable contrast to the 1,000 seen in other fashion companies.
• Last year, a US congressional commission called out Shein and Temu in a report that suggested the companies were potentially linked to the use of forced labor, exploitation of trade loopholes, product safety hazards or intellectual property theft.
• In June 2023, the U.S. Congress found that Shein and Temu send about 600,000 packages to the United States every day. This is causing air-freight costs to go up, making off-peak seasons disappear and creating a shortage of space for shipments.

"The biggest trend impacting air freight right now is not the Red Sea, it's Chinese e-commerce companies like Shein or Temu", said Basile Ricard, Director of Operations Greater China at Bollore Logistics.

Fashion is a complex and fascinating industry. Unfortunately, some businesses prioritize endless growth over the quality of their products and the well-being of those in their supply chain. This acceleration of a destructive path presents a significant threat to an industry that increasingly relies on responsible resource consumption for its long-term survival. If we continue to exploit the system today, what kind of legacy are we creating for the fashion industry?

At BCome, we're here to support your business in becoming sustainable over time. Explore the strategies that enhance industry sustainability and ensure long-term success. Stay informed with our latest content!

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