Students feel guilty for shopping at Shein

Students find sustainable alternative clothing too expensive. Photo / Dazed

Some alternative students feel they have no other option but to turn to fast fashion, especially if they are plus size. 

Many students feel guilty for turning to drop-shipping companies like Shein who use unethical labour practices.  

Cameron McCausland-Taylor is a third-year creative writing student and shops from Shein fairly regularly, but not just for the prices. 

“They actually offer trendy clothes for fat people in a range of different sizes, with their Shein Fit+ range going up to a size 34.” 

However, she expressed guilt for buying from Shein. 

“When I shop at Shein, I feel that pang of guilt, knowing its ethical and environmental impacts. But there’s not many alternatives out there for someone my size. If I could look and feel cute at a reasonable price in a sustainable way, I would.” 

McCausland-Taylor shoped at other brands that don’t rely on drop-shipping like ASOS, Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing, but they are still fast fashion. 

“These, and Shein, are some of the only places I can afford that have my size in cute clothes. I don’t want to wear old lady clothes because they’re some of the only places that have my size available.” 

Though she would really like to, shopping sustainably for McCausland-Taylor just wasn’t an option. Second hand shopping, a sustainable alternative to buying new, also presents an issue for some plus-sized people, as there is often a limited range of clothing available in larger sizes. 

“It’s incredibly hard to find a sustainable and affordable range for plus size people, with most ranges not going further than a size 16 and if they do, the prices for the bigger sizes are astronomical.” 

However, McCausland-Taylor still had some sustainable brand she liked to buy from when she can afford it. 

“Friday Flamingo, Hine Collection, and Ruby & Rain are some sustainable NZ brands that stock my size, and they are absolutely beautiful. I own quite a few pieces from Hine but because of the pricing, I have to wait till they’re on sale most of the time.” 

Lizzie Jollands studied fashion design for a little over a year before decidingUniversity wasn’t for her. Jollands also considered herself alternative and wears majority alternative clothing. 

Jollands said, “Alternative clothing is very expensive, especially when you use sites that are local and who use ethically sourced materials and designs. Shein has a reputation for stealing ideas from small and independent artists that create amazing designs.” 

Jollands went on to cite the TikTok famous ‘strawberry dress’ that retails at $490 USD from the designer Lirika Matoshi but a knock off can be bought on Shein for less than $30. 

Jollands said garments from these sustainable brands last “pretty much a lifetime due to the techniques and material that they use. Shein leaves you with a garment that is made horribly and doesn’t even fit”. 

Even though Shein doesn’t use the most ethical business practices, it is sometimes one of the only options for alternative and plus size students.