Shein said it carried out an extensive testing regime last year in partnership with third-party testing agencies such as Intertek, SGS, Bureau Veritas (BV), and TÜV, as well as a laboratory accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS).
Shein has also committed to a $15m investment in 2025 towards enhancing its product safety testing and compliance measures.
The company explained that it has established a comprehensive product safety protocol to ensure that its products comply with relevant laws and regulations, as well as its own safety standards.
This system, which covers the stages before, during, and after the sale, is dedicated to monitoring product safety and verifying that all products meet compliance requirements.
Key components of Shein's product safety system
Standards and policies: Vendors supplying Shein must adhere to relevant product safety regulations and Shein's internal standards, including adherence to the Restricted Substances List (RSL) and vendor codes of conduct.
Documentation and certification review: Vendors are mandated to provide documentation for products in regulated categories for Shein's review process. The products include textiles, baby products, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical devices, cosmetics, children's toys, electronics, light industry products and children's products.
Monitoring and testing: Collaborating with leading third-party agencies and a CNAS-accredited laboratory, Shein conducted over 2m chemical and other safety tests in 2024 alone.
Dynamic evaluations: Vendors undergo continuous evaluations based on factors such as testing pass rates and customer feedback. Non-compliance may result in various penalties, including termination of partnerships.
In the past year, more than 260 sellers were removed from Shein's platform due to non-compliance with safety standards.
Shein EMEA president and public affairs global head Leonard Lin said: “Ensuring that our customers can shop with peace of mind is paramount at Shein.
“From design to delivery, we all work to protect our customers at every step of the process. We have continued to expand our rigorous testing efforts, working with some of the world’s top global testing agencies, to ensure that our products meet the highest standards and we continue to invest in enhancing our approach.”
Appointment of global sustainability head
Furthering its corporate responsibility efforts, Shein has appointed Mustan Lalani as head of global sustainability to spearhead initiatives to tackle industry-wide challenges through innovation and technology, as part of its evoluSHEIN roadmap.
“Mustan brings a wealth of experience in these areas from his previous roles and will significantly strengthen our bench as we continue our journey to become a more sustainable and responsible business. He will lead our efforts to help solve industry-wide challenges, through innovation and technology, as part of our evoluSHEIN roadmap, Shein’s comprehensive strategy for addressing social and environmental challenges,” said Lin.
Recently, Shein achieved a breakthrough in polyester recycling technology in collaboration with Donghua University. The partners developed an innovative polyester recycling process that allows for a broader range of feedstock materials, including both pre and post-consumer textile waste, as well as PET bottles.
The company also introduced the Shein Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting more inclusive and sustainable communities in regions where it operates. Along with the launch, the company committed €5m ($5.30m) to the Africa Collect Textiles (ACT) Foundation, the charitable arm of ACT.
Shein hopes these actions will help to strengthen its position as a responsible player in the global fashion industry as it prepares for a London initial public offering (IPO).
Earlier this week UK campaign group Stop Uyghur Genocide (SUG) said it would seek a judicial review of the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) decision if it approved Shein's (IPO) due to concerns of alleged forced labour in its supply chain.
Last month, Shein stated that it does not allow cotton from China in products sold in the US and it maintained that it enforces a strict prohibition of forced labour within its global supply chain.
