Shein’s Fast Fashion Empire Built on Precarious Gig Labor in China

Inside the high-speed, low-cost world of Shein, a global fast-fashion giant valued at $66 billion, a different picture emerges. A growing number of videos on Chinese social media platforms like Bilibili and Kuaishou offer a glimpse into the lives of workers in Shein’s bustling fulfillment centers in southern China. These “day-in-the-life” vlogs, often filmed by gig workers, reveal a reality marked by demanding schedules, grueling tasks, and a relentless pursuit of efficiency.

In one video, a worker boasts about picking 650 clothing items in a single shift, a feat he attributes to foregoing bathroom breaks. Another video shows a worker “sweating profusely” after a night shift, while a third showcases a worker struggling to lift her arm after an 11.5-hour shift. These stories, shared by dozens of workers over the past three years, paint a stark picture of the human cost behind Shein’s affordability.

WIRED’s analysis of over 30 videos tagged with Shein’s Chinese name, #希音, reveals a meticulously optimized logistics supply chain that drives Shein’s success. However, this efficiency comes at a price. While Amazon builds fulfillment centers near major customer hubs to expedite deliveries, Shein primarily ships directly from China. This strategy, criticized by some for potentially allowing Shein to avoid import duties, also grants the company access to a pool of precarious gig workers in China.

Job postings for Shein logistics roles in Guangdong province, as seen by WIRED, indicate that many workers are recruited through **labor dispatch**, a controversial system that allows companies to outsource responsibility for temporary workers to staffing agencies. This arrangement, according to Lu Zhang, an associate professor at Temple University, “allows companies to achieve labor on demand while cutting costs,” by separating the employment relationship from the actual use of labor.

These videos highlight the reality of Shein’s success, built on the labor of individuals willing to sacrifice their well-being for a chance at earning a decent income. As Shein continues to expand its global reach, the question remains: will it address the concerns raised by these videos and prioritize the well-being of its workers?