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Amnesty International UK said Shein’s potential London listing would be a “badge of shame” for the London market because of the fast-fashion firm’s “questionable” labour and human rights standards.
Reacting to the prospective flotation, an Amnesty International Researcher specialising in the garment industry called it “deeply troubling [for a] company with questionable labour and human rights standards.”
In a new report, the House Select Committee on China recommended removing a loophole allowing apparel websites to sell clothes in the United States made by Uyghur forced labour.
Lawmakers have called for the halt of any initial public offering of shares by the Chinese apparel company Shein Group until it proves that it does not use cotton produced by forced labor from the country’s Uyghur population.
Global fashion websites such as Shein may be selling clothes made by Uyghur forced labour directly to American consumers by exploiting a loophole in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
(First published 1 March 2020) The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 82 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen.
Chinese fast fashion firm Shein has launched an investigation into "false" discriminatory job adverts posted on recruitment sites under its name. Adverts seen by the BBC for factory and warehouse workers said those from certain ethnic minority backgrounds, including Uyghurs, must not apply. Shein said it did not fund or approve the ads, and it was committed to "upholding high labour standards".