Shein suppliers' working conditions criticized ahead of e-commerce giant's IPO

Shein remains in the public eye over its treatment of workers at its supplier factories, and as the e-tailer prepares for its IPO, scrutiny of that treatment has become more intense. Now, a new report claims that excessively long hours continue to be worked.

Swiss advocacy group Public Eye has followed up on a report it published just over two years ago that some workers still face 75-hour weeks at companies that supply the fast fashion giant.

It is an ongoing issue surrounding the working conditions of many fashion companies that use external production facilities and has led to much stricter controls being put in place across the industry. But the abuses persist.

Public Eye said it interviewed 13 employees at the six Chinese factories who spoke of long overtime being common.

The report highlighted that six sites in Guangzhou had to work excessive overtime and the group claimed the interviews were conducted last year.

Shein does not reveal its suppliers, but Public Eye said the status of factories was established “based on interviewees' responses and Shein products visible during manufacturing.”

He said the six production sites he visited comprised mostly small workshops employing between 40 and 80 workers, but also included two larger factories with up to 200 workers.

“In both cases, interviewees stated that they worked an average 12-hour workday, minus lunch and dinner breaks, at least six, but usually even seven days a week,” the group said. It added that there was “hardly any change” to salary levels since its previous report from late 2021.

In response, Shein told the BBC that he was “working hard” to address the issues raised by the report and had made “significant progress in improving conditions.” He added that he was investing tens of millions of dollars “into strengthening governance and compliance across our entire supply chain.”

And he told Public Eye that is Suppliers are required to ensure they comply with local rules on wages and hours of work, and “strong action” is taken if suppliers are found to be contravening their own policies.