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This episode is part 3 in a short series about SHEIN: where it’s been, where it’s going, and how it is changing everything. If you haven’t listened to parts one and two yet, go do that before listening to this episode.
In this part of the series, we will be tackling the human impact of SHEIN:
In this part of the series, we will be tackling the human impact of SHEIN:
- Unpacking the meaning of "sustainability" using the UN's Sustainable Development Goals as a measuring stick for figuring out just how sustainable fast fashion is
- How the early days of SHEIN might indicate something about the priorities and values of SHEIN's founder
- What it’s like to work for SHEIN in the garment factories and here in the U.S.
- That embarrassing SHEIN influencer trip and other bad faith marketing moves
- SHEIN’s connection to forced labor and how that ties into the de minimis loophole
- How SHEIN becoming the standard for making and selling clothing will impact everyone, even people who have never bought anything from the brand
- How WE can change SHEIN's trajectory (yes, we really can)
Additional reading (lots of sources again this week):
UN Sustainable Development Goals
"Fast Fashion Report Cards Show What’s Really in Your Clothes," Phoebe Sedgman and Jennifer Creery, Bloomberg.
"New study links major fashion brands to Amazon deforestation," Laura Pitcher, The Guardian.
"How fashion is distancing itself from deforestation," Rachel Cernansky, Vogue Business.
This is What Minimum Wage Would Be If It Kept Pace with Productivity
Living Wage Calculator
"Shein invited influencers on an all-expenses-paid trip. Here's why people are livid," Vanessa Romo, NPR.
"Shein exploited marginalized women for their influencer trip. It worked," Elizabeth de Luna, Mashable.
Toiling Away for SHEIN, Public Eye.
"Untold: Inside the Shein Machine review," Jack Seale, The Guardian.
"PR Platitudes and New Laws: Where is Shein heading?," Public Eye.
"After a UK Documentary Revealed Abuses, Shein Says it Will Spend $15 Million Improving Labor Conditions," Emma Burleigh, Observer.
"Interviews with factory employees refute Shein’s promises to make improvements," Public Eye.
"Inside North Korea's Forced Labor Program," Ian Urbina, The New Yorker.
"Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control: Inside Shein’s Sudden Rise," Vauhini Vara, Wired.
"The Search for the Next Shein," Chavie Lieber, Business of Fashion.
And HEY! BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE CLOTHESHORSE JAMBOREE ASAP!
If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.world
Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse
Find this episode's transcript (and so much more) at clotheshorsepodcast.com
Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:
"Fast Fashion Report Cards Show What’s Really in Your Clothes," Phoebe Sedgman and Jennifer Creery, Bloomberg.
"New study links major fashion brands to Amazon deforestation," Laura Pitcher, The Guardian.
"How fashion is distancing itself from deforestation," Rachel Cernansky, Vogue Business.
This is What Minimum Wage Would Be If It Kept Pace with Productivity
Living Wage Calculator
"Shein invited influencers on an all-expenses-paid trip. Here's why people are livid," Vanessa Romo, NPR.
"Shein exploited marginalized women for their influencer trip. It worked," Elizabeth de Luna, Mashable.
Toiling Away for SHEIN, Public Eye.
"Untold: Inside the Shein Machine review," Jack Seale, The Guardian.
"PR Platitudes and New Laws: Where is Shein heading?," Public Eye.
"After a UK Documentary Revealed Abuses, Shein Says it Will Spend $15 Million Improving Labor Conditions," Emma Burleigh, Observer.
"Interviews with factory employees refute Shein’s promises to make improvements," Public Eye.
"Inside North Korea's Forced Labor Program," Ian Urbina, The New Yorker.
"Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control: Inside Shein’s Sudden Rise," Vauhini Vara, Wired.
"The Search for the Next Shein," Chavie Lieber, Business of Fashion.
And HEY! BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE CLOTHESHORSE JAMBOREE ASAP!
If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.world
Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse
Find this episode's transcript (and so much more) at clotheshorsepodcast.com
Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:
The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.com
St. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.
Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.
Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on instagram, @vagabondvintage.dtlv and keep an eye out for their website coming fall of 2022.
Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!
Located in Whistler, Canada, Velvet Underground is a "velvet jungle" full of vintage and second-hand clothes, plants, a vegan cafe and lots of rad products from other small sustainable businesses. Our mission is to create a brand and community dedicated to promoting self-expression, as well as educating and inspiring a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle both for the people and the planet.
Find us on Instagram @shop_velvetunderground or online at www.shopvelvetunderground.com
Selina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts. Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come. Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint.
Salt Hats: purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Michigan.
Republica Unicornia Yarns: Hand-Dyed Yarn and notions for the color-obsessed. Made with love and some swearing in fabulous Atlanta, Georgia by Head Yarn Wench Kathleen. Get ready for rainbows with a side of Giving A Damn! Republica Unicornia is all about making your own magic using small-batch, responsibly sourced, hand-dyed yarns and thoughtfully made notions. Slow fashion all the way down and discover the joy of creating your very own beautiful hand knit, crocheted, or woven pieces. Find us on Instagram @republica_unicornia_yarns and at www.republicaunicornia.com.
Cute Little Ruin is an online shop dedicated to providing quality vintage and secondhand clothing, vinyl, and home items in a wide range of styles and price points. If it’s ethical and legal, we try to find a new home for it! Vintage style with progressive values. Find us on Instagram at @CuteLittleRuin.
Thumbprint is Detroit's only fair trade marketplace, located in the historic Eastern Market. Our small business specializes in products handmade by empowered women in South Africa making a living wage creating things they love like hand painted candles and ceramics! We also carry a curated assortment of sustainable/natural locally made goods. Thumbprint is a great gift destination for both the special people in your life and for yourself! Browse our online store at thumbprintdetroit.com and find us on instagram @thumbprintdetroit.
Picnicwear: a slow fashion brand, ethically made by hand from vintage and deadstock materials - most notably, vintage towels! Founder, Dani, has worked in the industry as a fashion designer for over 10 years, but started Picnicwear in response to her dissatisfaction with the industry's shortcomings. Picnicwear recently moved to rural North Carolina where all their clothing and accessories are now designed and cut, but the majority of their sewing is done by skilled garment workers in NYC. Their customers take comfort in knowing that all their sewists are paid well above NYC minimum wage. Picnicwear offers minimal waste and maximum authenticity: Future Vintage over future garbage.
Shift Clothing, out of beautiful Astoria, Oregon, with a focus on natural fibers, simple hardworking designs, and putting fat people first. Discover more at shiftwheeler.com
Creators & Guests
What is Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty?
Host Amanda Lee McCarty (she/they) decodes and demystifies the fashion and retail industries, and takes on topics like consumerism, workers rights, personal style, and why fashion is a case study in capitalism gone awry.
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"If you wear clothes, you need to listen to Clotheshorse." --Elise
"If you are human and live in the world, you need to listen to Clotheshorse." --Individually Wrapped