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now-we-say-c0ral · 5 months

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December 20, 2023

Thank goodness I'm off for today which means I have the opportunity to sleep in. I woke up around 9am and did nothing until 12pm other than the very late breakfast to which I was excited about. I ate the zingea burger and some chicken wings that I bought last night because I was starving. I canceled on Kevin the last minute because I really didn't feel like going and a small part of that was because he ditched me the night we were supposed to meet last time. It seems so petty but I think this bit's relatable.

My Temu haul has just arrived and I'm so pleased with my Airpods Max stand. That's the best purchase of the year, in my opinion.

I gathered enough energy to get out of bed around 1pm because I had errands to do and I also had to go to the gym. I went to Old Canning Town and discovered FRESH Philippine mangoes on sale. 6 mangoes costs 12 fucking quid. I still bought it because I can't have my mango float not having tasty mangoes because that would make people think that my food isn't that good. I also bought some sinigang ingredients for later. I went to the gym and did chest, abs, and arms.

I cooked as soon as I got to the house annoying Eddie as I usually do and finished cooking the sinigang at around 6pm and I cleaned the house as well because no one fucking maintains this house on the regular.

Went out to GOSH for the Ortho/Spines Team's Secret Santa and party. I got myself a mug that says 'babygirl' which I think really represents me and Elli also gave us each a sock and some chocolates. This lady is so thoughtful. We then went to Boom Box Park in Oxford Street and played mini gold which was fun. Had some drinks and food and called it a night.

Eddie arrived back from his party and Farrah gave me some chocolates and a mug as well! She's so sweet! I'll get her something sweet as well! Today was a good day!

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virginiaprelawland · 6 months

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The Legality of Fast Fashion: Temu and Shein

By Elizabeth Wolnik, George Mason University Class of 2024

November 24, 2023

Low prices have become an increasing draw when it comes to luring customers to a website. The new up and coming retail giants, Temu and Shein, are changing the way people view online shopping by catering to the need for things to be reasonably priced [2].

Temu is known as an “online superstore for virtually everything” and initially garnered mass media attention when they made their advertising debut during the Super Bowl this year [1]. Temu was established in 2022 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Even though it is still a new company, it is currently ranked at the top of the U.S. iOS app store. Temu is an extensive digital marketplace that offers a wide range of products across more than 250 categories. Their primary goal is to “foster a safe and inclusive environment and enable customers to shop with confidence without compromising on quality while enjoying the best online prices available”. Although many people have compared Temu to Shein, the two have some major differences. Temu connects consumers with small businesses who sell directly to them instead of generating fast fashion as Shein does. Temu hosts independent third-party sellers which allows customers to find virtually any product they can imagine [1].

The fashion brand Shein is one of the most popular brands with Gen-Z, due to their trendy clothing being offered at extremely low prices [1]. The brand initially gained exposure through TikTok and Instagram during the COVID-19 pandemic through videos of people showing off their vast clothing hauls from the website [3]. As the company expanded, they developed a supply chain with thousands of manufacturing partners. Because Shein doesn’t own the factories that make their products, their high order volume makes them a primary customer. Shein also sells directly to consumers in small batches to maintain their low prices, however this often results in product shortages [1].

Both Temu and Shein have faced scrutiny due to their ties to China [4]. As US-China tensions remain high, American legislators have increased attempts to restrict technology linked to foreign entities. In April of this 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, and intellectual property theft. Part of the concern comes from the fact that Temu was launched by PDD Holdings. PDD Holdings was founded in China but has recently begun calling itself a Cayman Islands company by citing new corporate registration there. PDD also owns Pinduoduo, an immensely popular Chinese e-commerce platform that was found in a recent investigation to have the ability to surveil its users [4].

The low prices on Temu and Shein has caused some people to reconsider their purchases from the platforms [4]. Transparency and traceability of a product is becoming more important to consumers to want to shop more ethically. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Around 85% of clothing ends up in landfills or is burned, and the problem is even worse with fast fashion. Fast fashion is defined as the rapid design and production of cheap and low-quality clothes that respond to fleeting trends. The items that fast fashion companies make are not meant to last long, which keeps the consumers coming back when their clothing falls apart or a trend goes out of style [4]. In response to this, Shein states that its business model enables it to reduce waste and overproduction by producing small batches and only responding with larger production if demand is shown. Temu says that they limit unsold inventory and waste by better matching demand with supply. However, researchers who study textile waste and sustainability in global supply chains say that these companies need to go a step further [4].

With the public intensely watching companies like Temu and Shein get into legal and ethical trouble, it brings up conversation about the conditions of fast fashion. The fast fashion industry employs about 75 million factory workers worldwide, but less than 2% of these employees make a livable wage [5]. Many employees work over 16 hours a day and child labor is a prevalent occurrence. To sustain mass production and meet consumer demands, fashion companies often take advantage of legal loopholes, like offshore outsourcing in developing countries. Because of this, employees in the fast fashion industry have limited rights and work in unsafe conditions. Companies commit to offshore outsourcing because labor costs are cheaper and there are less regulations surrounding it. There are currently no U.S. federal laws that regulate offshore outsourcing [5].

In February of this year a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators wrote to Shien, pressing them to disclose their supply chain practices [4]. They said, “We are concerned that American consumers may be inadvertently purchasing apparel made in part with cotton grown, picked, and processed using forced labor”. The inquiry was made following a report that showed lab testing that found garments shipped to the U.S. from Shien were made with cotton from Xinjiang. This is problematic because Washington has banned all imports from Xinjiang over concerns of forced labor. A spokesperson from Shein said that the company has zero tolerance for forced labor and has worked with third parties to audit supplier factories. To ensure compliance with U.S. laws, Shein requires that suppliers purchase cotton from only approved countries and has built tracing systems to get visibility into the origins of the cotton it uses. Shein also made headlines in December of last year when a documentary alleged exploitation at two Chinese factories belonging to its suppliers. The documentary alleged that staff were working 18 hours a day and making pennies on each item of clothing they made. Shein responded by saying that independent audits have refuted most of these allegations, but the investigation showed that employees at two of its suppliers were working longer hours than allowed [4].

On top of the controversies surrounding Temu and Shein, they have also entered into litigation with each other. Beginning in December 2022, Shein sued Temu in Illinois federal court alleging that Temu had enlisted online influencers “to make false and deceptive statements” about Shein to promote its own goods [3]. Temu filed to dismiss the suit, but the case is still pending. Shein has also accused Temu many times of copyright infringement [3].

Temu has also sued Shein, filing a lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts of this year, accusing them of violating anti-trust laws by attempting to monopolize suppliers and engaging in other forms of illegal behavior [3]. Temu claims that Shein has “engaged in a campaign of threats, intimidation, false assertions of infringement, and attempts to impose baseless punitive fines” on apparel makers that were thought to be working with Temu. They also allege that Shein “forced” exclusivity deals on clothing manufacturers to prevent them from working with Temu. A court filing says, “As a result of its fast growth, Shein now views itself as being ‘at war’ with Temu and has engaged in an elaborate and anticompetitive scheme aimed at stymieing Temu’s business”. Temu also alleges that Shein tried to force manufacturers to sign loyalty agreements to vow not to do business with Temu, and that Shein would issue fines to suppliers that worked with Temu [3].

As of late October 2023, Temu and Shein have applied to end their lawsuits against each other. Joint declarations were filed in Chicago and Boston by lawyers representing the companies, requesting that two legal cases be dismissed without prejudice by the judge. The filings did not contain details on why the companies decided to drop the complaints or if any settlements were made [6].

As Temu and Shein continue to make waves in the online retail landscape, consumers should be mindful of the ethical concerns surrounding these companies. Balancing the allure of low prices with the need for responsible and ethical business practices is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of these emerging giants. Only time will tell whether these retail powerhouses can strike a balance that satisfies both the demands of consumers and the expectations of an increasingly conscientious public.

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[1] https://fashionweekdaily.com/temu-and-shein-a-deep-dive-into-their-differences/

[2] https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/talking-points-too-good-to-be-true-deals-on-temu-and-shein/

[3] https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/19/tech/temu-shein-lawsuits-intl-hnk/index.html

[4] https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/23/tech/temu-shein-us-concerns-intl-hnk/index.html

[5] https://www.thenulj.com/nuljforum/fastfashion

[6] https://www.reuters.com/legal/low-cost-e-commerce-rivals-shein-temu-shelve-us-court-cases-2023-10-27/

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