Shein Group — Ethics Grade F

Shein Group receives an overall ethics grade of F (14/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Fashion & Apparel. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 10
• privacy: 40
• consumer: 20
• environment: 15
• humanRights: 12

Documented incidents (3)

• Excessive Overtime and Wage Theft (high, 2022) — Undercover investigations found workers in Shein's supply chain working 75-hour weeks with only one day off per month. Some workers were reportedly paid as little as 4 cents per garment produced.
• High Levels of Toxic Chemicals (high, 2021) — Health Canada and Greenpeace lab tests found elevated levels of lead, PFAS, and phthalates in Shein clothing items, exceeding safety limits for children and adults. Exposure to these chemicals is linked to health defects.
• Systemic IP Theft Claims (medium, 2023) — Independent designers have filed RICO lawsuits alleging Shein utilizes algorithms to scrape and replicate original designs at a mass scale without credit or compensation. The company faces hundreds of copyright infringement lawsuits.

Documented good deeds

• Launch of Shein Exchange Resale — An integrated peer-to-peer resale platform intended to extend the life of pre-owned Shein clothing and reduce waste.

Ethical alternatives

• Patagonia — Focuses on high labor standards and durability, with profits diverted to environmental causes.