Shein is once again stepping up its efforts to win over regulators and the public as the fast-fashion giant prepares for a potential public listing in London as soon as this year.
On Friday, the retailer issued a press release outlining the measures it has implemented to ensure product safety. This announcement came about a week after Shein issued its first product safety recall in the U.S. since 2021.
Shein stated that in the past year, it conducted over 2 million product safety tests using top industry labs such as Bureau Veritas and Intertek.
The company also emphasized that its vendors must submit documentation for specific items, including toys, baby products, medical devices, and electronics.
The announcement, which also included details about Shein’s sustainability efforts and a newly established nonprofit foundation, is part of a broader strategy to gain favor with U.K. lawmakers and address concerns about the sale of unsafe products and allegations of forced labor in its supply chain.
Last week, Shein recalled more than 300 hair dryer brushes after determining they posed a risk of electrocution or shock. The Teckwe Hair Dryer Brush was widely viewed as a knockoff of a similar product sold by Dyson. While no injuries were reported, Shein is offering refunds to affected customers.
A Shein spokesperson told that the company conducts safety tests on products it sells directly and also performs “risk-based, randomized testing” on items offered by third-party vendors on its marketplace before listing them.
Product safety testing is standard practice for retailers, even those that operate exclusively online, since they can be held liable for defects under U.S. consumer protection laws.
However, when it comes to third-party sellers on online marketplaces, liability is often less clear, making Shein’s decision to conduct pre-listing safety tests on these items an unusual move.
Shein
By testing third-party marketplace products, Shein is distinguishing itself in an industry often plagued by safety concerns. Typically, online marketplaces require sellers to conduct their own testing and provide documentation to verify compliance.
In its press release, Shein also revealed that it had terminated over 260 sellers from its marketplace in the past year for failing to meet compliance standards.
Shein Faces Scrutiny in the U.K.
Shein’s push to emphasize its commitment to product safety and sustainability comes as it prepares for a U.K. public offering—following a similar effort in the U.S. before its unsuccessful initial public offering attempt there.
Earlier this month, U.K. lawmakers scrutinized Shein’s legal representatives during a British parliamentary hearing, pressing them on the company’s supply chain practices and whether it sells products made with cotton from China, according to The Associated Press.
During the hearing, Shein’s general counsel for Europe, Yinan Zhu, repeatedly declined to confirm whether the company’s products contain cotton from Xinjiang or whether Shein prohibits suppliers from sourcing raw materials from the region, which has been heavily criticized for alleged forced labor practices in Uyghur detention camps.
When asked if Shein acknowledges the existence of forced labor in Xinjiang, Zhu avoided a direct answer, stating that it was not the company’s role to engage in a “geopolitical debate.”
Instead, he reiterated Shein’s standard response regarding supply chain concerns: “We comply with the laws and regulations in the countries that we operate in.”
Committee Chairman Liam Byrne said Zhu’s refusal to provide direct answers left lawmakers “horrified” and led them to have “zero confidence” in the integrity of Shein’s supply chain.
“The reluctance to answer basic questions has frankly bordered on contempt,” Byrne remarked.
Throughout 2023, when Shein was still pursuing a U.S. IPO, the company frequently spoke publicly about its cotton supply chain and detailed the tests it conducted to confirm it was not sourcing from restricted regions.
However, during the recent parliamentary hearing, Shein did not make any similar claims.
