20 Fast-Fashion Podcast Script – Amanda Wilkerson

Amanda Wilkerson graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in December 2022.  This is a script for a podcast she completed for the Business & Society class (Fall 2022).  Professor Jaynne Rivas would like to celebrate this piece and said, “Amanda’s work demonstrates your commitment to intellectual curiosity.”

Podcast Script

Introduction:

Hi, my name is Amanda Wilkerson. I am a self-proclaimed fashionista, environmentalist, and Business student. In this episode, I am deep diving into the affordable fast-fashion brand that has become popular through social media, the worldwide eCommerce company SheIn—founded by Chris Xu, who began his career as a search engine marketing specialist at a trading company. Shein was originally SheInside and was a wedding dress e-retailer. After about a year, the company was transformed into Shein we see today. Shein has 10,000 employees and sells to over 150 countries. SheIn is valued at $100 billion, surpassing the combined market of Zara and H&M. In the first half of 2022, Shein has raked in over $16 billion. (Ho, 2022)

Issue Identification: 

In this segment, I want to bring some attention to the fast fashion industry, specifically regarding SheIn, which has seen outstanding growth over the years. What goes on behind the scenes to maintain that low price tag? The impacts of poor materials and high production on our planet also affect the consumer. What can Shein do to help mitigate these issues? Also, what we as consumers can do and how we can change the business through our actions. Most importantly, why will we pay more in the long run when deciding to pay less now?

Message: 

1.    The first issue covered in this segment includes the unethical practices used in operation facilities. From the poor work conditions the employees endure keeping Shein running to the abhorrently low pay, long work hours, and unrealistic goals that must be met to avoid consequences. Business Insider discusses what was found from an undercover investigation from channel four and the I newspaper in the UK. What they found is shocking. The woman who went undercover used a fake name, got a job inside two of the factories, and secretly filmed what she saw while working there. (Jackson, 2022) In one of the factories, employees were paid a base salary of 4,000 yuan per month (roughly $556) to make a minimum of 500 pieces of clothing per day, with their first month’s pay being withheld. (Jackson, 2022) Many employees work long hours to earn a commission of 0.14 yuan (.02 cents) per item. With little room for errors, employees are fined at rates that equal about two-thirds of their daily wages if they make one mistake. According to the report, with dirt cheap pay and no room for errors, many employees often work 18 hours days with one day off. Noting that many workers wash their hair on their lunch breaks because they have so little time after work. (Jackson, 2022).

2.    The issue regarding the consumers and the speed at which we move through the trend cycles is a significant contributor to how companies like Shein have had record growth. The increase in trend cycles can be credited to the perpetuation social media has developed, a sense of urgency to be the first with the latest trending piece. (Copestack, 2022) According to Tom Crisp ( the leader of the sustainable fashion course at the University of Falmouth), “These clothes are often designed to be worn once or twice before being thrown away.” Adding, “So this consumption adds to the fashion’s huge waste clothing problem, especially for the Global South, where most of this waste ends up destroying local environments and local fashion and textile industries.” (Copestack, 2022). Trends that have also contributed to overconsumption is “haul videos” that make their way around social media platforms, like Tik Tok, Instagram, and Youtube. The creator shows themself opening and showing the audience what they purchased from Shein. These creators spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, buying a bunch of clothes for the Hauls video. Something The Observer points out “It s not those on low incomes which drive this industry. The biggest customer base is people with substantial disposable incomes…” (Williams, 2022)

3.    There are a few ways Shein impacts the environment. As mentioned before, the speed we move through fashion trends contributes to overconsumption. Consumers are buying what is trending now rather than buying for quality and longevity. Harvard Business Review notes, “To deliver on low price points for the fast-changing styles, these “real-time” brands rely on fossil fuel-based synthetic materials that are cheaper, adaptable, and more widely available.” One particularly harmful material is polyester, the number one synthetic fiber that represents more than half of all global fiber production. It also requires a great deal of energy for extraction and processing and releases significant by-products. (Harvard Business Review, 2022) With poor-quality clothing, consumers do not get as much wear, and clothes get thrown away at faster rates, then the cycle begins again. Due to the poor quality of the clothes, they are not durable enough to be passed down or used for years, which makes these pieces less desirable or functional to people who thrift.

Solutions: 

1.     The first resolution is regarding what Shein could do to help mitigate the harm they are causing to their employee, the consumers, and the planet. The model they use, “test and repeat,” is not generally flawed, just how they execute it. The idea is to make small batches of items before deciding what to make more of based on demand, then eliminate items that are not doing well. If they kept their current approach and minimized how many trendy pieces they sell, and up the quality of materials they use along with better treatment of employees. They could be just as successful. If they focused on a few trendy pieces and used data to see what clothing is always considered “in style,” it would benefit the stakeholders while also putting the company in a more positive light. The Business of Sustainability Index report published in September 2022 by environmental Technology company GreenPrint stated that “of the 1,000adults surveyed, 66 percent of US consumers and 80 percent of young adults (ages 18-34) said that they were willing to pay more for sustainable products versus their less sustainable competitors.” (Simpson, 2022)

Recap and Call to Action: 

If we look at the big picture, we must strive to be better. How businesses operate and treat employees, the planet, and consumers is crucial for long-term growth. Based on current information on SheIn, these criteria still need to be met. The abuse of their employees and the poor quality of their products that impact the consumers and the planet are also reasons to strive to be better. I want SheIn to take measures to provide better working conditions and products. We are not asking them to close up the shop but rather a fine tune it to be a better version. The business model alone creates efficiency and would eliminate waste if their objectives were more than just profits. For consumers who love fashion and a bargain, be more choosey about what you spend your money on. Replacing cheap clothes often may cost more than buying something of quality, to begin with. Also, we can reject what we do not like, and businesses supply based on our demand if we change how we consume, limit trying to be trendy, and buy quality pieces of what we love. Businesses will follow suit to provide better- quality products.