In 2023, the fast-fashion company Shein had a significant global presence. Airplanes frequently transported small packages of Shein’s low-cost clothing from thousands of suppliers to customers in 150 countries. Social media influencers promoted the brand’s trendy styles through “#sheinhaul” videos, which garnered billions of views.
Throughout this process, data was generated, collected, and analyzed. To manage this information efficiently, the fast fashion industry has adopted emerging AI technologies. Shein employs proprietary machine-learning applications to gauge customer preferences in real-time and predict demand, which it fulfills with a rapid supply chain.
While AI accelerates the production of affordable, trendy clothing, it has also placed Shein under increasing scrutiny to enhance its sustainability efforts. The company has committed to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
However, climate advocates and researchers argue that Shein’s fast manufacturing practices and online-only model are inherently high in emissions. They suggest that the use of AI software may exacerbate the company’s carbon footprint. These concerns were underscored by Shein’s third annual sustainability report, which revealed that the company nearly doubled its carbon dioxide emissions from 2022 to 2023.
“AI enables fast fashion to evolve into ultra-fast fashion, with Shein and Temu leading the way,” stated Sage Lenier, executive director of the climate nonprofit Sustainable and Just Future. Lenier emphasized that such companies could not operate without AI. (Temu is another rising e-commerce giant, offering a wide variety of goods comparable to Shein’s in terms of variety, price, and sales.)
Since its establishment 12 years ago, Shein has become known for its prolific manufacturing, reportedly generating over $30 billion in revenue in 2023. Although estimates vary, it may take as little as 10 days for a new Shein design to go from concept to garment, with up to 10,000 items added to the site each day. The company supposedly offers around 600,000 items at any given time, with an average price of approximately $10. Shein declined to confirm or deny these figures. Market analysis indicated that 44 percent of Gen Z consumers in the United States purchase at least one item from Shein each month.
This scale of operation has significant environmental repercussions. Shein’s sustainability report stated that the company emitted 16.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023, an amount greater than the annual emissions from four coal power plants. Additionally, Shein faces criticism for its textile waste, microplastic pollution, and exploitative labor practices. The report noted that polyester, a synthetic textile notorious for shedding microplastics, constitutes 76 percent of Shein’s total fabrics, with only 6 percent being recycled.
