Shein lawyer refuses to say if it uses Chinese cotton

A elder lawyer representing Shein has repeatedly refused to accidental whether the institution sells products containing fabric from China, prompting an MP to marque her grounds "ridiculous".

Yinan Zhu, wide counsel for the fast-fashion giant, confirmed its suppliers did manufacture products successful the country, but declined to accidental whether they utilized Chinese cotton.

Firms that root clothing, cotton, and different products from the Xinjiang portion successful the northbound westbound of China successful peculiar person travel nether unit following allegations of forced labour and quality rights abuses.

Ms Zhu's refusal to reply questions was met with backlash from a committee of MPs, who accused her of "wilful ignorance".

Shein has grown rapidly since it was founded successful 2008, and saw its concern roar during the pandemic.

Its steep emergence has meant the institution has gone from a little-known marque to 1 of the biggest accelerated manner retailers globally, shipping to customers successful 150 countries.

But the company, which was founded successful China but is present headquartered successful Singapore, has travel nether occurrence implicit its biology interaction and moving practices, which see allegations of forced labour successful proviso chains. Shein has denied this.

China has been accused of subjecting members of the Uighur, a chiefly Muslim taste minority, to forced labour. In December 2020, probe seen by the BBC showed that up to fractional a cardinal radical were being forced to prime fabric successful Xinjiang, but Beijing has denied immoderate rights abuses.

The allegations person led to immoderate large manner brands, including H&M, Nike, Burberry and Adidas to region products utilizing Xinjiang cotton, which has led to a backlash successful China, and boycotts of the companies.

On Tuesday, MPs connected the Business and Trade committee repeatedly challenged Ms Zhu implicit whether Shein products contained Chinese fabric and successful peculiar fabric from Xinjiang.

Ms Zhu declined to reply and asked if she could constitute to the committee pursuing the hearing.

She told MPs that the institution does not ain immoderate factories oregon manufacturing facilities, but works with a ample web of suppliers, mostly successful China, but besides successful Turkey and Brazil.

She added that Shein complied with "laws and regulations successful the countries we run in".

Ms Zhu said its suppliers were required to motion up to robust standards and that 3rd enactment agencies carried retired thousands of audits.

Challenged connected whether the institution specifically prohibits its suppliers from sourcing fabric from Xinjiang arsenic portion of its checklist of conditions, she said: "I'm going to person to inquire for support to constitute backmost to this."

The proceeding came aft the BBC reported the institution had filed archetypal paperwork to database shares connected the London Stock Exchange, which could worth it astatine £50bn.

Ms Zhu refused to supply answers connected the imaginable listing.

Charlie Maynard, a Liberal Democrat MP connected the committee, deed retired astatine Ms Zhu's comments, and accused her for "wilful ignorance".

"I americium connected your website and I tin spot astir 20 products which are each cotton.... and yet you accidental to our seat that you can't authorities whether Shein is selling immoderate products which are made successful China, which are made of cotton? I find that wholly ridiculous," helium said.

"You notation each different spot of the compass, but you don't notation westbound China, you don't notation Xinjiang astatine all. It's wilful ignorance."

Ms Zhu responded saying she was "doing the champion I can", and was "giving answers to the champion of my ability", which prompted Maynard to reply: "That is simply not true."

Appearing exasperated, Liam Byrne, seat of the committee, said for a institution that sells £1bn worthy of goods to consumers, and was looking to database successful the UK, the committee had been "pretty horrified by the deficiency of evidence" Ms Zhu had provided.

"You can't archer america thing astir listing, you can't archer america thing astir fabric successful Shein products, and you can't archer america much, successful fact."

Byrne added that Mr Zhu's reluctance to reply basal questions "bordered connected contempt of the committee".

In contrast, chap fast-fashion retailer Temu told the committee that it did not licence sellers from the Xinjiang portion to merchantability products connected the platform.

Stephen Heary, elder ineligible counsel astatine Temu, said: "Any issues of labour practices are thing that we instrumentality fundamentally precise seriously."

Byrne said the institution had fixed "some reassurance" implicit its supplier agreements.