A French activist group wants to stop Shein

Fast fashion has come under increasing political scrutiny and Shein has become a target of criticism. Its rapid growth and extremely fast and cheap sales model have made the company a symbol of fast fashion's negative impact on the environment, and the brand's Chinese origins have made its position politically complicated due to growing tensions between China and Western markets. This time it was French activists who called on the government to 'stop Shein' to increase pressure on the controversial ultra-fast fashion giant. The campaign was launched on Wednesday by Place Publique, a French centre-left party whose founders include MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, known for his fight against forced labour in China. «The hyper-consumption praised by Shein is a weapon of mass climate destruction» says the petition, reported by BoF.

In a petition that has gathered nearly 11,000 signatures in less than 48 hours, 'Stop Shein' denounces allegations of labour exploitation in the company's supply chain, including links to forced labour by Uighurs, as well as the huge environmental impact of the daily production and marketing of thousands of new garments made mainly of plastics. The petition calls on French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire to regulate marketing practises that encourage over-consumption and to delete or block websites or brands that launch more than 1,000 new models every day.

France is already working on a number of measures to promote sustainability in the fashion industry and it is unclear whether Stop Shein's proposals will meet with widespread approval. However, the campaign adds to the controversy surrounding the high-speed fashion giant. Earlier this year, an advocacy group funded by anonymous donors called Shut Down Shein was launched in the US. Lawmakers there also asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to verify that Shein does not use forced labour before allowing the company to list on the US stock exchange. The company did not respond to requests for comment, but had stated in the past that it had a zero-tolerance policy on forced labour, although it is unclear how well that statement reflects the facts.