What Is Your Opinion About The Fast Fashion Industry (And The Home Decor Industry That Accompanies It)?

I want to know what your thoughts are on this topic of fast fashion. I’m talking about websites like Shein and Temu that sell products from China at really cheap prices. There’s been a lot of talk about these websites lately, especially regarding the quality of the products and the ethics of their business practices. And I have to admit, I’m torn on the issue.

I’ll just say up front that I’ve never purchased anything from Temu, and I don’t plan on starting now. Every time I do a google search for a product, my search results are filled from top to bottom with products from Temu, and there’s just something about that that I find unsettling. In addition to that, the prices are so ridiculously low. I’m talking about a winter coat for 50 cents, or a dress for 25 cents. They may as well be giving those away for free, and as the adage goes, if you’re getting something for free, it’s because you’re the product. So Temu is a no go for me.

I have placed one order from Shein, and that order included five tops. The quality seemed good, and the shirts were cute. I was pleased with my order. But after I placed my order, I started hearing all of these issues with this “fast fashion” industry. If you just search for “Shein” in YouTube, you’ll come up with probably hundreds of videos from people talking about the ethical issues with purchasing from these fast fashion companies (called that presumably because it’s fast and cheap, like the fast food industry).

And then, just a few months ago, this SNL skit went viral online.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MKTN2OiR2R8%3Fsi%3DH4-OTUeT63lohGyU

You can read the comments on that YouTube video and see that almost everyone agrees. These companies are terrible. Stay away from them.

So after coming across all of that, I decided that my one order from Shein would be my only order, and I would go back to purchasing clothes from the stores I was used to buying from. And what are those stores? Stores like Gap, Old Navy, and Loft. I also shop occasionally at WalMart. And then I love a handful of little American-owned online boutique stores.

One of my favorites is called Mod Boutique. I’ve shared this store with y’all before. I love that they have do loads of photos and one video for every piece of clothing. I love that they provide the exact measurements for each piece of clothing rather than offering a general sizing guideline. And I love the clothes they offer. I don’t like everything they have, but their selection appeals to me more than any of the other boutique stores I’ve ordered from. So I literally check out their website every Sunday when they update their website with new arrivals.

But here’s the deal. Last night I was searching for something, and that took me to the Shein website. I got curious to see what was new, so I started poking around a bit. And I just happened upon this flutter sleeve sweater listed for $9.23.

Wait. WHAT? Nine dollars and twenty-three cents? That’s interesting because look what I have in my closet.

Only mine’s not from Shein…or at least not directly so. Mine is from Mod Boutique, and I paid $46.99 for it, plus tax and shipping.

But I’m sure mine is the ethical one, right? Well, how do I know that? It’s made in China also, and there’s no way anyone can guarantee me that it’s made in some ethical factory.

I also have this one. This one sold by Mod Boutique was $72.99, because anything they sell with embroidered sleeves is $65.00 and up. (And I’m a sucker for embroidery.)

It’s made in China.

That shirt is sold by Shein for $9.53.

So the question I’m really struggling with (and yes, I’m really very conflicted about this) is this. Does purchasing these items from an American boutique store that’s buying them from China and marking them up sometimes as much as 700% somehow make me morally superior and more ethically-minded than people buying them directly from the Chinese factory? Or does it just make me a sucker.

I mean, my closet is filled with clothes from China. I bought this at that same American boutique store for $64.99. It’s made in China. And while I haven’t found this exact shirt on Shein, there are several very similar.

I bought this shirt, made in China, from an American boutique store for $76.99.

This isn’t the same shirt, but this is one of the five I bought from Shein with beautiful embroidered sleeves. This was under $10.

So I guess my question is…are we tricking ourselves into thinking that paying more for the same items being sold through American “middle man” companies is somehow morally superior than just buying them directly from the Chinese company when the items are the same? On the one hand, I want to support American businesses, and especially American small businesses. But when those companies are just buying Chinese goods and marking them up at a rate of up to 700%, I start to get conflicted. It would be different if they were selling American-made goods. I would gladly pay more for that. But those goods seem to be few and far between these days.

And this spills over into home decor as well. There are so many items that companies like Pottery Barn, or even Magnolia here in Waco, are selling that come from China. And yet, you can buy directly from China on sites like Shein and save a bundle of money. Am I somehow acting more ethically by choosing to purchase my made-in-China item in downtown Waco from Magnolia at a 500% upcharge? If they were selling American-made goods, I’d happily purchase from them, pay more to support an American company, support the local economy, etc. But how do I make sense of the argument that it’s my moral and ethical duty to purchase those made-in-China goods through an American middle-man company at a 300-700% upcharge?

I genuinely want your opinion on this, and if you have any insight that I’m missing, please share it. I want to be clear that I’m not arguing that we should overlook the ethical issues that people have raised about these overseas factories. But how do we get away from supporting them when our options seems to be (1) buying directly from them, or (2) purchasing through an American company that’s buying from them and marking prices way up?

So if you’ve done way more research into this topic than I have, help me make sense of all of this. I’m not trying to justify my next Shein purchase. As of this moment, I don’t have any plans to make a second Shein purchase. I’m just trying to wrap my head around this issue, and figure out how we deal with it. Is there really a truly ethical answer here?

 

 

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100 Comments

  1. Hello! Love the topic and had to chime in.
    1) Your picks are all super cute and I am dying to go shopping =)
    2) its a complicated topic with political, economical, climate and even moral aspects… Frankly it is exhausting. But, by using your platform to start the conversation it’s a step in the right direction.
    3) You are the product. You are trading your information for a good, but it is not a fair trade at all.
    4) As tiring as it is, finding small businesses and slow fashion creators is worth it to get pieces that last a long time. We do not NEED to be at the front of a fad.

  2. This is a fabulous post and really makes me think. As the old saying goes, it leaves us all on the horns of a dilemma. I look forward to other people’s comments.

  3. There’s two issues with fast fashion: the worker conditions that enable the low pricing, and the overconsumption those low prices encourage. Some stores specifically mention worker issues, so I would assume if the store is silent on the issue, that is a bad sign. Also, Shein is known for constantly launching new styles, so it doesn’t surprise me that the boutique you mentioned is essentially curating Shein clothes.

    One way to make less of an impact is to shop used clothing sites like Thredup. At that point it doesn’t matter how it was made; keeping it out of the clothing waste stream is a win.

    1. Are other companies curating Shein or is Shein stealing other’s works? Since Her shirts from other companies are now showing up on Shein, I suspect the later.

  4. Temu and SHEIN are Chinese companies selling very cheap items and are clogging up the search engines and appearing at the top of almost all Google searches. They are taking huge losses on every sale. Their marketing strategy is to sell very cheap and force small and larges businesses out of business. And at the rate they are going they will. This will gain the market share with their cheap strategy and then prices will skyrocket. This will have a huge adverse affect on our economy. I personally will never buy from them and try very hard to by from small businesses and USA made. Yes, I pay more, but I am not going to contribute to the success of these companies and the eventual effect it will have on the US economy. The economy is bad enough as it is.

    1. Agreed and very interesting. I too will never purchase from either site. I know I’m in the minority, but I prefer reputable brands. Maybe we need to add American made companies/products in the comments section! My favorite jewelry is made by a friend out of Colorado. Her business site: https://racheldawndesigns.com/

    2. Leslie is absolutely correct, their short-term plan is to under cut competitors to get them to close up and fold. In a few years, you will see them raise prices and they will be monopolies without competition.

  5. I see your point and can’t see how covering someone’s overhead for them to order from the same company available to me, makes it all magically ethical. I prefer thrifting anyway, preferably vintage clothing. No one makes anything near the quality offered in the 80/90’s.

  6. I have noticed the same thing with clothes at a boutique and most recently with earrings at a craft fair. I wish more things were made in the USA but that’s a whole other discussion. In many ways I feel the same about ordering from Amazon, just bc an Amazon warehouse is in the US doesn’t mean the items originated here. I too have shopped on Shein usually for something that I don’t plan to wear much ie for a costume, theme night, or a random event. One thought for you most cell phones now have the ability to recognize an item via the camera or google lens and tell you where it’s sold and the price. Maybe next time you’re in the boutique and see something you’re considering buying scan and see other purchasing options. I’ve found ordering from Shein is not a quick delivery so maybe paying the up charge at the local boutique to have the item right away will justify the up charge. 🤷‍♀️

  7. My solution is to shop boutique or second hand. I’m fortunate to live in a place that has a lot of locally made goods and I can support them. But, I also love shopping second hand because it keeps fast fashion out of landfills, generally supports non profits (depending on where you shop), and saves lots of money. I don’t mind a made in China designer shirt bought at a church resale shop that supports the food pantry. But I’d never buy it from the designer or a store like Neiman’s.

  8. We just don’t need bales and bales of new clothes all the time. I find if I’m craving new clothes it’s because I have put on weight and am self conscious and uncomfortable and am wearing only a fraction of my wardrobe because I dread pulling on my smaller or more body conscious things. I lose just 5 to 10 pounds and problem solved, I have all these clothes now. It’s good for me because I also have more aches and pains (inflammation) and hot flashes when my weight is up that I do not even have when I am my healthy weight. I also love Poshmark and Ebay because I have expensive taste but don’t need the latest so I’m willing to buy used items. I am 100% checked out on fast fashion. I wish we still had a significant garment industry with jobs here like my grandmother had sewing baby clothes for Kessler. Oh and one other thing: I blame the Chinese for changing the lexicon with regard to the term “button down.” This term is literally only about button holes on the collar tips of oxford shirts. But now you see everything with buttons and buttonholes referred to as “button down.” Sure it’s probably something you button up but that doesn’t make it “button down.” Just a pet peeve that I believe is caused by a culture that doesn’t even really try to understand us making all our clothes. They could at least hire English speaking copy writers!

  9. I could write a book on this but will try to limit myself to a long paragraph, lol. I have a huge problem with how much manufacturing and production has moved out of the US, even though I understand how/why it happened. That said, I’m older (64) and work from home (software development) and my husband and I live a very casual life. The vast majority of my clothes are at least 10-15 years old. I like them, they fit, I’m not a fashionista, and I have little desire to purchase new. When I had to go in to the office, I sewed many of my clothes: I was fortunate to have a store selling quality garment fabric within driving distance of our Arizona home. I like classic styles, so what I made/own doesn’t look dated (except that it’s not the ‘latest and greatest’ thing). I have never gotten on board with what’s ‘in’ or ‘out’ in home decorating either. I don’t know how to define my style, but I like old stuff, lol. I’ve heard grannycore, cottagecore, farmhouse, etc: I like a little of all those. I furnished our homes with antiques and vintage furniture, linens, and decorative items from auctions, estate sales, and thrift shops. I went with my niece to visit the old Magnolia store (before the silos, etc) because she was a huge Chip/Joanna fan. I talked her out of buying things because they are farmhouse knockoffs from China: I told her to hang with me and we’d find the real deal if she was willing to wait a bit (and we did 🙂 ). I can’t answer what’s ethically appropriate for you or anyone else, but I try to be judicious with my purchases and avoid made in China as much as humanly possible. I want quality items that will last and not get replaced because they’re junk or because some ‘influencer’ says it’s dated.

    Interesting topic – I hope you get thoughtful responses and no ugly ones and I hope none of what I said comes across as judgmental or ugly: I am only expressing what works for me.

    1. You are so correct. My way of thinking completely. I’m in my “very golden years”, and I really miss the solid way things were made, and were made to last. Most of my belongings are 40 to 60 years or older. I’m making most of my own clothes again. And from thrift store buys that get recreated. I love keeping things out of the “landfills”. Basically I purchase new appliances, and hold off as long as I can. The new ones have all the bells and whistles, which basically means they have more parts to break. I Like ON and OFF. Just think before buying so much, you can’t move in your house, or write a check without worry. Here’s to the good life.

  10. In my experience, the Shein product that LOOKS like a boutique product (even one also made in China) is not the same fabric/quality. One of the big issues with Shein (for me) is that they steal a lot of their designs from other makers, then use inferior fabrics and undercut the people who actually put the effort into creating the design. My sister has a retail clothing business that has it’s own line of product that she also wholesales, so I’ve seen this first hand. I’ve purchased from Shein in the past, but I’m 100% done now.

    1. I agree with the above comment. The photos on Shein or the other super-cheap websites are likely stolen from other websites, or they bought an original item, photographed it, and then send out a vastly inferior, somewhat similar product. Don’t assume that boutiques are automatically marking up Shein products 700%. They have their own supply lines and trusted vendors. It’s not uncommon for the same product to be reproduced by multiple factories, all at different levels of quality.

    2. Came here to say this. Just because it LOOKS like an item of clothing you have, doesn’t mean it is the same quality at all. It’s not like GAP and LOFT and Temu are buying these items from the same supplier with the the traditional stores marking them up. Temu is making low quality knock offs to undercut the retailers.

  11. The news and other articles I have read say that Shein steals designs from other designers to produce in their own factories. Years ago fashion houses produced for 2 to 4 seasons per year and the time from designer to store took many months. Shein and others change their stolen designs daily and produce in batches to be shipped daily. Their time from design to store is a few days. Although I buy some items like jeans and pants, I sew my own tops, sweaters and coats but this usually costs more that China made clothing. My me-made clothing fits much better and it lasts for many years.

  12. I agree with Leslie.
    I’ve also been warned that the Chinese are collecting our information when we buy directly from some of these “fast” companies (which I’m sure they are already doing through many other avenues).
    There are many YouTube crafters who are promoting Temu to the point I quit following the ones who are promoting them.
    War is not the only way to bring the downfall of a nation. Affecting a nation’s economy and buying up their land is a very sly and effective way to destroy an enemy. It might take longer, but the advantages are that the country isn’t ripped to pieces by war and it’s cheaper for the country attempting the takeover and most of the people will be unaware of what is happening until it is too late.
    Purchasing good “used” items is how I try to do my part to attempt to slow the foreign effects on our economy and nation.

  13. I do purchase from TEMU. Let me tell you how I started- my water filter on refrigerator should be changed every 6 months and it went up to $65 each at both Home Depot and Amazon. An advertisement from TEMU showed same product with exact same packaging for $9.99 each in package of 3. I decided to try and was very pleasantly surprised it was exactly the same product!
    Since then i have purchased some tee shirts and sweaters from them. I order one size larger than normal.
    I have been concerned about the issues brought up elsewhere in these comments, but i have no way of knowing that the $60 sweater i purchased from Belk’s that has a ‘made in China’ label was not made by the same person or group that made the exact sweater i could purchase for 15.99 from TEMU. Have been pleased with what i have purchased and as a senior citizen on a fixed income i appreciate the lower prices.

    1. I concur 100% with what you said Katherine. I have purchased 2x from Shein and multiple times from Temu. When I started purchasing from Temu, it was like you, looking for an item that was higher priced in the stores than what I could afford, and I found the same or similar on Temu. Granted it is a longer shipping time, but shipping is free (or so far it has been). At Amazon, if you don’t have PRIME, you have to spend $35. I too have thought more than once about purchasing from China, but in some cases, I will see the same items that SHEIN or Temu offer on Amazon – but at a higher price. So, the China products are apparently being sold to many vendors for resale. Look at the name of many clothing items selling on Amazon, that we can’t pronounce and you know they are not from the US. I too appreciate the lower prices, but often times, I shop at the local goodwill or thrift stores, like others have mentioned. Although I have noticed often times their prices are higher than the same thing at Walmart.

  14. I discovered this a few years ago when a dress I had been eyeing at a small local boutique for $89.99 popped up on my phone in a SHEIN ad for $14.99. I was so mad! Like you I had been trying to shop small and local but I felt so stupid for paying such huge mark up for the exact same items. I won’t buy from boutiques at full price anymore unless it is handmade goods such as local farms that make soap and skincare items, crafters that make their own jewelry, sweaters, blankets etc. I buy my produce, eggs, milk and meat from local farms. I will buy fast fashion directly from SHEIN since I had been buying it anyways from the boutiques but I’m not giving the boutique owner a huge profit to sell me the same crap I can buy directly for a fraction of the price.

  15. This is such a revelatory post.

    To find clothing made in the U.S., I Googled “which brands sell women’s clothing made in usa?” and found many results. Don’t forget to go past the first page of results, and see whether there are some whose style fits yours. There is even an Amazon category for “Women’s clothing made only in the U.S.!”

    You might want to check Etsy as well.

    One thing to note is that since you love embroidery so much, the labor cost for time involved to make it will make the price steep, if American-made embroidered clothing is available. You might end up with your next hobby: Machine embroidery. Or, look for vintage embroidered throws and tablecloths on Etsy and Ebay and sew them into one of a kind tops for yourself. Goodness knows, you have the skills for this!

    There have been several books written about the fast fashion industry and its true costs. Two prominent ones are:
    Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes
    Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion

    And more to be found here: https://earth.org/books-about-fast-fashion/

    Get these from your local library!

    I’d say, we all have some reorienting to do.

  16. This is the way the world works today, almost anything we buy has some component made in China or India. I’ve even been more conscious of food items and where they come from. As far as clothing goes I make every effort to buy from thrift stores. I feel that I’m saving money and helping items not to end up in the land fill. Well written interesting topic!

  17. Hello all. In response to the fast fashion/home decor issue, I always buy gently used or second hand—who cares how it is labeled? I buy my “new” (meaning new to me) furniture at Salvation Army or antique sites (and FYI, brown furniture, meaning mahogany, dark woods from the 1940’s or even 1800’s, is CHEAP right now!! If I were not in my 70’s, I would be buying to sell high in the next cycle!) and antique stores. THe quality is better, the clothes are real clothes, and I am not buying NEW, except for underwear—I draw the line at that!

  18. On recent travels in Europe, I noticed that most (if not all) “authentic souvenirs “ in any city we visited had a Made in China tag. Very disheartening. We bought none of those items & many aboard our ship talked about it too. Cheaply made seems to be the norm, not ethically made.

  19. UGH. So eye opening your post was…the profits from the so called boutiques seem over the top. I had no idea this was what was happening, and I don’t exactly understand. I have ordered from Shein I think once…the fabric was so thin for the top I could never wear it. I send a picture of the ability to read a book through the top, and they refunded me and I never looked at that site again. Recently I saw a picture of a pretty necklace on Pinterest, and I ordered it as a gift. When it came, the quality was SO bad, and looked nothing like it. When I asked to return they made it VERY hard, and offered me $3.00 refund to keep it…my order was two pieces for $65.00! Each time I said NO, they would offer a few dollars more…PayPal eventually sided with me that it was NO good, and refunded me. Never again…watch out for the site “Needream.” Temu for me is a different story. I have order some tops and they mostly have been OK, and I DO enjoy some craft items. I HAVE thrown away some things that were terrible, so needless to say, I am very careful now. They have been perfect with shipping…never anything missing, always got what I ordered. If something is not great, I send a picture, and they refund me – only a few things needed to be returned. DO I worry about the China connection, and the non-USA purchases…YES! But for beads for craft items that I make for me or for gifts, I want to spend less. That being said, if/when Trump becomes president, I know he will do the right thing, (he did it before) and Temu will probably be gone. By putting tariffs on those Chinese imports, their prices will be more in line, and they will have to compete with more American made things…if there is any thing still made here! 🙄 It is so sad that we have given away our industries…I hope and pray that will change. I would never mind spending a bit more for “Made in the USA” items, but this is ridiculous, and I don’t think these Boutiques should mark the China items like they do. Shame on them.
    PS) I had a hard time recently ordering my US flags…HAD to find a US company, no matter what! That would be crossing the line for me!!!

  20. Almost all my clothing and home decor purchases are second hand, either at yard and estate sales or thrift shops. I prefer vintage styles, and the quality of the fabrics is much better. I’ve never shopped on Shein or Temu, and I try not to buy on Amazon, either. It gets harder when looking for small appliances and other home items when it’s often hard to even find a good alternative to the Made in China junk. I definitely think it has been a deliberate effort to weaken our economy and make us dependent on these low-quality imported products.

    1. This! I have taken to exclusively shopping at thrift shops, estate sales, and yard sales for my clothing and home decor. I have found that I not only enjoy the prices and uniqueness, but have come to love the thrill of the search.

  21. I too wish I had the answer.
    You don’t know for sure that the boutique is marking an item up 700%. Some boutique items are truly better quality. Some boutiques may be buying from a middleman, who may be using a 300% markup so they can also make a profit. The middleman buys from a factory at some other markup. Unfortunately, some manufacturers contract manufacturing to some Chinese factory for such a low price that either the factory or the laborers pirate the designs to sell to other companies (such as Temu, Shein) to supplement meager earnings. Companies such as Converse set up a factory in China and provide all the know-how to produce the beloved Chucks and, lo and behold, counterfeit Chucks start showing up for import to be sold for unbelievable prices. Consider all the counterfeit merchandise sold in the streets, at flea markets, and other shady places. I think this problem can be found in more than just clothing – I’ve found cheap knockoff car parts, hardware, tools, furniture and other décor.
    I try to know the company and/or manufacturer that I buy from, and I favor those that support living wages for workers and are transparent enough that I have some confidence that it’s not just some marketing hype. Certified B Corporation tend to be excellent. I buy less since the products are usually more expensive. However, clearly, from your examples, the price of a product doesn’t always mean it’s not from sweatshop! I almost always check for country of manufacture and buy “made in the USA” whenever possible.
    I don’t think there is any moral superiority to buying an item made in a sweatshop from a US boutique compared to a Shein or one of the many questionable Amazon sellers once I know an item’s provenance. At the same time, “fast fashion” is so pervasive that I know I don’t avoid all of it. I try to follow the Maya Angelou quote, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

  22. Never bought from SHEIN or temu but amazon, sure. We all say we would buy made in the US if we could find it, but would we? Most people are minding a budget with the cost of groceries, utilities, etc so if we can buy a shirt for 20$ vs 60$ and it’s the same, I’ll save my money. Not many stores DON’T have fast fashion! Even Anthro has items made in China, but people are convinced it’s “better”. Im not a big shopper any longer but do like to buy a few new pieces each season to stay up to date!
    It’s our desire for consuming “stuff” that is the big problem! These sites offer it but if it wasnt purchased these companies wouldn’t survive

  23. This is very interesting. I don’t buy from Shein or Temu, assuming it’s cheap crap made in China in sweatshops. However, I’m very aware that almost all our stuff comes from China. Interesting dilemma to think/find that our favorite boutiques are likely doing this with a major mark up. After a quick perusal of my closet, I find most is made in India and other middle eastern countries. I’m a big LL Bean shopper so I was surprised to learn none of my purchases are made in the USA. I don’t know what the answer is. I guess I’d be more angry that the middle man under the guise of a fancy boutique would be reselling Shein and Temu stuff. I’m looking forward to reading the comments.

    1. I would also be interested in having Kristy purchase the same tops from those Chinese shops and compare the quality. Are they knockoffs? Or worse are they the same with new labels sewn in?

  24. I have purchased several things from Temu at extremely low prices. The quality seems fine, although I have not washed anything yet. However I read somewhere that Temu sells at such low prices just to get the consumers’ information. You give them name, address, phone number and your charge card. It is a bait and switch deal. You get what you think is a bargain, and they record everything they need to get into your charge card account. I had’t thought of that as I was buying, but that info scared me to death. I will never buy anything from them again because of that possibility. I hadn’t thought of the moral issues this brings up. Safe not to buy ANYTHING on the internet.

    1. I worry about that too, but not sure if that really is happening. I’ve used the same card for these type of purchases. So far, nothing has shown up…not true on some of my others. Once, a card I use for my Health Insurance ONLY was compromised in the city where my insurance is…inside job for sure. That can happen anywhere, and you just have to be diligent in checking your transactions every month…should do anyway!

  25. I have read that many name brand stores are buying from Shein and selling them with a ridiculously high price. Folks just aren’t aware of it. I’ve bought from Temu and Shein. I can’t sat I wouldn’t purchase from them if I wanted something that out of my budget if I thought the price was right.

  26. A very complex situation we are encountering. I too, would pay more, reasonably, to buy American made. Sadly, the price difference can be unaffordable for so many, so no judgement here.
    We have recently bought from Temu a few garden solar lights for the garden and bigger items for our new construction. We bought a kitchen sink and several bathroom faucets. We are impressed with how well the sink is made. I had found that exact sink on a well known site for hundreds more and that’s when I took the gamble and ordered from Temu. Now…. After reading an article about Temu and why they are so cheap, I won’t be purchasing from them in the future. The article indicated that Temu is gathering personal information from the buyer, including financial. Too “iffy” for me. Worth researching.
    I’ve ordered forlest bras thinking it was an American made company only to wait weeks because it’s being shipped from China. The same with hike footwear. They may have been designed here but commissioned for assembly in China. I reached out to a company and asked where their product was manufactured, before I bought. She said in China and other foreign countries but was working on bringing it back to the US. I said that I’d wait and would check back with them.
    We all need to walk around our homes and look at every item for source of manufacturing. My expensive Lumebox Infared device…. Made in China. More frustrating? We have chicken farms that raise the chickens then send them to a ship offshore in China so they can process them, and them ship them back to the states!! How wrong is that! So grateful I’m in a situation to be able to raise my own meat.

  27. I admit that I have purchased a lot from TEMU, both clothes and home goods. However, I also am trying a lot harder to purchase from Mercari and Poshmark, as well as thrift stores so at least I’m giving products another life. But I agree that the reason I continue to buy from Temu is because I AM seeing the EXACT same items on retail sites marked up exorbitantly. I cannot afford the markup but I want the item…simple as that.

  28. So a number of the lower cost sellers are typically doing a few things. Selling something with stolen IP, or selling a second, or perhaps extra under a different name. When Mfrs/designers have to get these items made, it’s common that your product gets stolen while developing the samples for production. After a run of items is complete the MFR keeps going to have more in case of a shipping issue or they continue with sub-par materials. Manufacturers will sell unwanted items (costs $ to store or trash) to another company that rebrands it.

    The American sellers are not necessarily marking up the cost to make it and profit that much more. There’s overhead to get it here and sell it is that codtly. Being able to have it today at a boutique pays for a certain quality, time savings, and overhead for a store staff and sell it.

    The lower cost on these sites isn’t the bottom line what you pay. There’s shipping and taxes. Additionally it doesn’t include the your time, and the risk of receiving a bad product with no return.

    I tend to get my stuff from online but only what’s clearly sold here (short shipping). Mostly for consumer protections. I look to find a trustable return policy & trustable size measurements. If it’s not detailed I’m not giving my $$.

    1. Just to add…most of the Temu orders ship for free, and taxes are the same as here.
      What ever you pay in your state is added. It is simple to order, and I have had NO errors in the orders…down to the smallest items…the packages have been accurate.
      If something isn’t great they will work with you, to return or donate with a refund that day. SO, unless you get a totally bad product, it might be a problem, but Temu seems to work to make it right. Sometimes I have found that you need to read and look at the sizes or measurements carefully to not make a mistake, but the risks have been small for me. Craft items especially have been great. BUT, I still wish I was buying from the US. But I can buy from Fire Mountain Gems, and it is all from China anyway. So Sad!

  29. Another thought to consider is that even when an item claims it is made in the USA, sometimes the materials used to make it are sourced from other countries. This happens in all industries from our cars, our technology, to even our food products. Raw materials are sourced from other countries and then the final items are either assembled or packaged in the states so the company can then claim it is a product of the USA. So even when we purchase something that says “Made in the USA” it is probably not 100% an American product in all aspects. This is what keeps the economy moving though as we export as much as we import. If we used all the materials that are grown, raised, or made in America and never exported anything and never imported anything, our prices would skyrocket and other countries would completely die out. This is not to say that we should support companies that use child or forced labor or don’t offer humane work environments because we most definitely should not when we are aware of this happening. I’m just trying to point out that we as the consumer actually have no way of knowing how the products we buy were made or where the materials to make them came from unless the seller is 100% honest and upfront about where they purchased the raw materials and where the final product was made.

  30. No to fast fashion for me. I was a asst buyer for a large dept after college. My advice is to buy good quality: good fabric content (natural fibers w possibly small amount spandex/ poly), plaids/stripes that all match, finished seams, adequate seams (1/2″ at least), small stitch length, good topstitching, classic design. Establish your favorite base colors, analyze need before you buy. Basics can be changed w cute jewelry, belts, layers. Build a base wardrobe. I was advised when I started out to buy “1 rich b*tch outfit per season”. At the end of 4 years you have a high quality basic wardrobe

  31. This from Newsweek:
    According to a high-profile class-action lawsuit, Temu has “wiretapped the electronic communications of its website visitors, and failed to alert customers of a data breach.” The lawsuit also alleges that Temu knowingly loaded malware and spyware onto users’ devices.Jul 25, 2024
    https://www.newsweek.com › tem…
    Temu Can’t Be Trusted With Your Data. We Need States To Step In | Opinion

  32. I work in garment manufacturing, we are small factory and we make very specialized goods. We don’t sell retail only wholesale. When I started working with this company 20 years ago we were 100% American-made (with the caveat that most of our raw materials- fabric, trims, notions- are imported). We were one of the last holdouts in our industry to remain American-made. Within the last 6-7 years we were forced to consider diversifying our production and have since decreased our production to about 60% American-made and 40% imported goods. However, 90% of those produced overseas are still designed in our offices. Part of the reason, we felt we had to make the change was during the pandemic we could no longer find sewing operators to meet the demand of our sales and we had to satisfy customer orders. It still takes us almost a year to design, develop, order, and receive production from our vendors. The only thing we can think is that these fast fashion distributors are being shown production that other companies are developing and without a strong contract in place essentially stealing the design and adding to the original developing company’s order, thus getting production turned around very quickly. For example: Mod Boutique designs and develops a top with X manufacturer, X manufacturer then shows Shein all the goods they are producing and Shein then adds 200 pieces to the Mod Boutique order for that top to sell on their site. Its awful but without more regulatory control, in a very closed foreign country it will continue to happen. I would not get your hopes up for a return to domestic garment manufacturing there are very, very few factories left in the US.

  33. Great topic! I stay 100% away from both companies.

    Number 1, I don’t feel comfortable ordering direct from a China company. I have trust issues with my personal information.

    Number 2, I have seen first hand several of my fellow makers have designs AND photos stolen from these companies and used to sell the product at a cutthroat low price. It’s hard enough to be a small business/maker already. I know you recently when through the stolen picture ordeal.

    Number 3, I honestly try to source as much of my product from USA vendors. I don’t buy tons of clothes, I am not trendy to need new items often. Only when something is worn out do I replace. I guess I would rather pay more to another small business than less to a foreign country.

  34. I have not bought anything from either Shein or Temu, but just went to a garden party with cute decorations which were bought there. I didn’t want to spoil the fun and didn’t start a discussion about ethical purchases, but was taken aback as to the nonchalance of the hostess (mind you, some of the stuff had already popped up in my Pinterest – annoying in itself!! – and I was sorely tempted as it was in a William Morris design I love and which is normally quite expensive, as mostly made in the UK).
    I think the topic of how we buy is very important as that is the power we can exact in how we shape our world. I have (re)started years ago to sew a lot of the clothes I wear – as that is a hobby of mine anyway and gives me much pleasure. Another solution for people who cannot or don’t want to sew (which I totally get) are thrift/second hand stores as indeed the stuff is kept out of landfills that way – and if you go to charity shops, the money is doing something good on top. Don’t forget the working conditions of people in those Asian sweatshops; whenever there are news on that (sadly mostly when accidents occur), the truth is appalling and I don’t wanna contribute to this if I can manage not to.
    Btw: Trying to buy differently doesn’t have to be more expensive overall, as good clothes last longer and things which aren’t fast fashion don’t get outdated too quickly.
    Thank you, Kristi, for raising this topic, it is so important! And one of the reasons I love your blog, as you show me/us how we can be independent of this production method by making things ourselves!

  35. I am in favor of leaning toward the ethical in shopping. I recently saw a Shein “want ad,” and it laid bare the horrifying working conditions. Americans tend to want CHEAP and Made in America. We have to honor the reality that we may not be able to have both. If we want things manufactured in the USA, we have to be willing to support American wages.

    I have some relatively expensive clothes that I have owned for more than twenty years. And I am perfectly able to sew my own. Nobody needs the garbage these fast fashion companies push out.

  36. No ‘made in China’ items of any kind for me; I’ll just have to do without. We need to impose tariffs (as they do to us) and bring our manufacturing home. Even some of our medicine is made in China. I don’t trust them for having our best intentions at heart and especially disagree with letting them buy our land.

  37. It’s hard to make right choices when entire industries are geared toward obscuring the real origins of everything we buy! I think the biggest impact we can have is to start with being more mindful at a meta-level about our willingness to participate in the constant marketing/purchasing churn that manipulates us into convincing ourselves we need to buy cheap goods every so often: Is this thing I want to buy an item I really need, or is it a cute thing I’m reacting to because it passed before my eyes? If it’s a need, do I need it today? What if I wait a week to buy it? Do I need to buy it here? The more we question ourselves, the more we find our impulses are manipulated — and we CAN resist those manipulations, as many of them as possible, for as long as possible. If enough people do that, it will eventually have an effect on the floodtide of cheap knock-off products. It’s not a perfect solution by any means, but we can try to research items we do buy through sites like this one:
    https://madeintheusamatters.com/american-made-products/

    We can resolve to purchase less stuff, less often, more slowly, more responsibly. We can resolve to pay more for fewer items and try to restrict ourselves to things we actually need instead of a flood of wants. We can stop convincing ourselves that we have to react to everything we see. We don’t need to replace the stuff we have all the time out of boredom or a vague sense of discontent. We can try to break down the choices involved in each shopping experience into a series of steps we take with more awareness of what we’re doing and why we are doing it. We can relearn our habits and resist the culture of “Buy now! You know you want it!” that so entraps us.

    1. I also try to research what I buy, and for items that I intend to keep I always try to buy made in the usa. https://madeinusa.com/ also looks to be reputable with lots of categories.

      I think we have all bought into the fallacy of more is better, and cheap items from china (and other countries) only helps that belief along. It’s easy to change decorations every season, or update furnishings every few years, and every website, news article, magazine and add encourages this behaviour by showing “new trends” and “dated trends you must stop now” type articles. It’s a multifaceted problem with no great answer.

      Add in those on fixed/limited incomes (my parents), and the low cost products may be the only option for necessities. The clothes may not last, but if the choice is between clothes that don’t last and no clothes, there isn’t really a choice.

      I’m blessed and in a position to be careful with my purchases, try to buy quality items and styles that will last for a very long time in both furniture and furnishings. I also frequently ask myself “do I really need this”, which helps to offset the programmed desire for just more. It’s hard to reprogram that desire for new/shiney, but after realizing a few times those items didn’t positively add to my life, or that they were tossed within a year due to wear, it gets easier.

      I tend towards finding clothes/shoes that meet my needs and wear them out. I wear the same 5-6 tops and skirts every week. I finally found a specific style of shoe for work that looks good with my clothes, but that allows me to walk comfortably on a regular basis for my job, so I have 4 pairs of the same shoe in different colors (2 black, 1 grey, 1 tan). Winter has a set of clothes, summer has a set, and that’s it. I primarially need clothes when they are damaged beyond repair. I purchase clothes that work at my standard heigh and low weights, or styles that can easily be altered if needed. Do I want new/shiny colors/shirts, of course, but do I really need them….not so much.

  38. Oh Boy! You’ve opened a can of worms or all of us. Of course I want to buy American-made clothing (remember the old “Look for the union label” ad and song?) but I think I’ve found so many fabulous bargains (most not on the internet) from China that there aren’t any more American made clothing available. I sew some of my own clothes and find the same problem facing me–so much fabric for home sewers is made in China, India or other places known for starvation wages.
    Well, what can we do?

  39. When considering whether our clothes, are made in a “sweatshop” that doesn’t pay its employees a “living wage” we must remember that it’s very cheap to live in some areas of the world, compared with the U.S. My sister lives in Cambodia, and knows how much the workers there appreciate a job in a clothing factory. By our standards, they are paid almost nothing, but their job actually enables them to make a very respectable living in that culture. This is a little off-topic, but sort of ties in with some of the comments and is worth thinking about.

  40. There’s several boutiques in my area that have been called out for selling Shein items. They just rip out the labels.

  41. My experience is from working in the Homewares, Gift and Greetings industry. The thing to be aware of with Shein and Temu is that they copy a lot of product. So the orginating companies that charge more are often having to do so because they have also designed the product and gone through that process, so you are also paying for the designers, garment technicians etc to do that plus the cost of doing business is a country like the US (or UK in my case). Shein/Temu don’t seem to discriminate on where they find their ‘inspiration’ and often copy designs of smaller designers and companies, those that just don’t have the economies of scale to keep their costs really low. There is often (but I’m not saying always) a discrepancy in the materials used too.

    When you are buying from a more local company you are supporting their employees and their local community. The stats in the UK are that when £10 is spent in an independent shop (not chain) that results in up to £50 extra for the local economy, due to the wages going to locals who then spend in the community, the fact that may independents use other local suppliers, provide financial support to local charities and community groups. Plus these independents pay their taxes somewhat more that the big names too!

    Sorry, long message but if you haven’t worked it out small and independent business is a bit of a passion!

  42. I would never buy from Temu or SHEIN for obvious reasons but everything from Amazon is also made in China. It is hard to avoid. But the biggest problem for me is the overconsumption of goods whether it is clothes or home decor items because of the cheap price point. For example, people jumped on the farmhouse bandwagon and bought cheap goods to decorate. Now every thrift store is full of “farmhouse” decor while people are on to the next fad. These cheap items allow us to overconsume and toss it all when we are tired of it. YouTube is full of videos saying what’s no longer in style and what we should buy next! Nothing is ever repaired anymore, just tossed and replaced. We have lost sight of the value of things in our disposable world. Who will have to clean up our mess?

  43. What an interesting topic and seeing the perspectives and experiences of others! I have not purchased from either Temu or Schein, but am conscientious of where products are made or produced. I generally search out locally made or make it myself wherever possible. Thank you for starting this conversation!

  44. I made the mistake of ordering something from a company like these , huge mistake, looked nothing like the picture and when I tried to return it , they said I had to return it to china and it would cost a lot so they gave me like 20% back to keep it . But I still can’t wear it so total loss for me. I will never again order from one of these sites ! Never !!!

  45. From what I learned from my daughter, these fast fashions are stealing the designs and churning them out cheaper. Maybe that is why you are finding identical or close to identical items. Many clothes designers and stores are competing against their stolen designs. It’s so tempting to order from them though. I haven’t because of aforementioned and those I’ve seen secondary seem cheaply made and fabric not quality.

  46. Yesterday I started reading “Made in China, a Prisoner, an SOS Letter and the Hidden Cost of America’s Cheap Goods” by Amelia Pang. It’s a true story of Forced Labor in China. I won’t be buying anything made in China now. It’s a chilling account.

  47. My thought is this… If you’re paying more for an item, you’re helping someone else become richer. Save your money!

  48. Boy does this topic have a lot of factors, complications and context.

    I was recently in India for a wedding, then Vietnam enroute home. India has lots of undesirable factory/production circumstances. Vietnam does a lot of manufacturing for the US too with better circumstances. It has helped them rebound from the war into quite a modern country. Noteworthy is that they don’t like to be compared to China, their practices, etc. They value family, education, have quite sophisticated, clean cities. They are still working on improvements.

    It was all eye opening, loved the people, the cultures, the countries. Still it made me reflect on my consumption.

    Additionally I have been burned multiple times with purchases I thought were domestic so that I wouldn’t have fraud, quality or return issues. I have been shipped goods that were clearly duplicated from other vendors, even highjacking their site material/images, but of dramatically inferior quality, I mean horrible. Ex. A ceramic piece that was near half the size of their website photo with dimensions provided. I was told…. “must return to China, cost lots, we give you 25% back, keep”. I currently have one such transaction in dispute with Visa, complete with photo/website back up. If you deal with the Chinese vendors they will often dilly dally using up the allowed Visa dispute time losing out on money return. If I can’t find and verify domestic return information I will no longer purchase.

    But due to all of the above and a few more factors like statistics about US garbage, as I age feeling the inclination to simplify, have less, and definitely not follow trends, truly have, wear what I love regardless of what anyone else thinks…. I’m inclined to purchase less of anything from anywhere. Saying that, I may selectively choose, spend more from a favorite shop, etsy, etc. something I love and keep for a long time or do as you by DIY’ing it. This goes for fashion and household goods.

  49. I wish I could share the comparable pictures with you. My sister ordered a dress for a family wedding that was a gorgeous sky blue with sequins and beading from one of these places. When she got it the week before the wedding, it was actually cheap polyester fabric that had been printed with images of sequins and the dress was dirty gray blue. Actual seems etc. were printed on the dress instead of actually being the beautiful fit that the ad showed. My sister was devastated. Buyer beware, as they say. Some of these places will take actual pictures from reputable sites so you think you’re getting that item, but then they send you something completely different. I agree with you that the prices are so cheap because they’re getting all your personal information. That’s a small price to pay for them and a big one for us. For home items I like to go to HomeGoods HomeSense when possible, even though many of the things are from China, the quality is good, and the price is usually much less than you’d pay in a regular store, that being said, I do like to buy local and American whenever possible.

  50. Made in China is made in China…whether it’s from Temu Shein, or your favorite local brick and mortar store or an American website. you either swear off all made in China or embrace it. The quality varies, but the price is often very reasonable, which makes it enticing. After working in the apparel industry for decades there are worse things than made in China. It’s no longer a Third World country.

  51. I wonder if it has occurred to anyone that maybe American boutiques are buying from Shein and marking up prices.
    Two things I have learned: if the product is identical and both are made in the same country, chances are they are coming from the same factory. I don’t believe that anybody is taking a loss. Probably the same price they charge the middleman who brings it to America.
    Second, Temu prices are gradually rising. I have bought from them but have never downloaded the app. Some things are crappy plastic, others are contaminated with lead. I have purchased stuff that was not plastic and have gotten some good deals on sublimation supplies. I have never had an issue with the credit card being hacked. I have gotten everything I’ve ordered. I’m at the point that I check their price against Amazon before I choose where to buy. NEVER, EVER buy off Facebook. That’s the only place I’ve had a problem with products and getting hacked.
    My feelings in the past were to support American manufacturers. They are getting hard to find and when I do, the price is jacked up. With the economy the way it is, I am going to be looking for the lowest price until after the elections. Then, depending on who is Prez, I will adjust my habits.
    BTW, the best way to keep from having your info used to open accounts, is to freeze your Credit Bureau accounts: Experian, TransUnion & Equifax. If you’re not trying to get credit somewhere like for a house or car, just freeze it! Takes minutes to unfreeze and you set the time limit. Automatically “re-freezes”.

  52. Sustainability is a huge issue, but if you are really interested in the big picture, you could start reading here: https://sdgs.un.org/goals

    But to share a simplistic picture: People are greedy and we consume way more than what is necessary (people in developed countries, that is). This is exacerbated by advertising. Both the companies and the consumers want to pay as little as possible for items, clothes in this case. The way to do this is to a) buy raw materials from poor countries at unfairly low prices (which is what a certification like “Fair Trade” stands against – looking for certifications is one way to know that your money is not supporting this mess). Then b) you have those raw materials converted into goods in some other poor country where salaries are very low. And then of course, for every item produced there’s a cost to the environment: for producing raw materials, for transport, for converting them into products etc – and that’s before we begin to discuss what happens with the goods we no longer use. Which are increasing as our unnecessary purchases do (those trends about purging/de-cluttering etc, that were not a thing 50 years ago, are mostly needs we have now because of our wastefulness).

    The above is true whether we are talking about fast fashion from Shein, or well-known brands. Fast fashion, btw, being defined as the production of cheap, quickly made/sold clothes in order (for the greedy/vain) to be able to follow “fashion trends” as they shift at the speed of light – and they need to be cheap so that people can keep buying. There are basically two things to do, if we are discussing the morality of things. First and foremost, stop buying. Stop wasting. This is fast fashion’s greatest sin – it is designed to be trashed in no time. And second, look for sustainability certifications on the products you buy (keep in mind that not all of them are equally hard to acquire; and of course beware of greenwashing)!

    Now, in this general background, how does buying directly from China vs buying a western brand that manufactures in China compare? Here I’m going to switch to my own experiences/opinion. First of all, if you are looking for certifications, anonymous brands won’t have them (not that known brands bother with them unless they need to, mind you, but still). Second, if the quality is bad, or if things go wrong, you don’t know who to blame. Taking this to the extreme, you even have those “companies” that pop up, scam people by showing them good photos and fake reviews, then send them some rag that looks nothing like the photo (or nothing at all), then disappear. A bit like your shipping container guy. It’s possible that you set out to save money, end up with trash, and spend money again for the same item, while contributing to the environmental problems aspect of things. Third, a common thing with those clothes is that they are copies. The photo is actually stolen from some other company (that sells the original at a higher price), then they copy this item, and send you their own copy. Which is why there are often small differences. Or bigger differences: In the case of the photos you shared, maybe those embroidered flowers will turn out to be printed, for example. The situation here gets crazy, as there can be many copycats going around, some producing decent quality garments, some producing trash, and if you start reverse image-searching you can end up a bit crazy (some youtubers have actually done that for their channels, buying differently-prized stuff that look the same in pictures, search for that if you want to have a laugh)!

    But it is perfectly possible that you can get decent quality items if you are careful with the reviews and/or familiar with a Chinese brand for example. Morality can become a grey zone here. If we are discussing copying: Suppose you have a striped shirt, just a plain striped shirt because honestly, fashion design sometimes is just not very original. You have your Chinese sellers using the western brand photo, but they send you a good item that is indeed a striped shirt, you expected that the stripes would be a bit different because you know what’s going on, and you don’t care one bit, because you have a nice striped shirt like you wanted. The Chinese seller is guilty of stealing a photo there. But is anyone guilty of anything else? It reminds me a bit of this scene: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=821611139773059 . Should fashion design be paid extravagantly for “designing” that particular striped shirt? Isn’t it a bit hypocritical to demonize fast fashion (don’t get me wrong, they deserve it), but at the same time respect the industry that creates and keeps switching those trends? (I am not talking about intricate designs, btw, where someone painted designs to create a fabric, or something like that, I’m speaking specifically about something like a striped shirt).

    And what about the people who profit from your purchase? Morality there is also a grey zone, if “morality” is even the right word. Suppose you have exactly the same item, but one is sold at $50 and the other at $80, because workers in the US are getting paid more (in absolute values) than workers in China. Which would you prefer? And to make the choice even harder, with the costs of living being so different, what if the two salaries were actually equally good for those two workers? And what if you actually need the item in question (you are not wasteful, nor is it a luxury) and you are poor and struggling yourself? What about the middlemen? If you have a Chinese manufacturer, then a Chinese wholesaler, then a US wholesaler, then a US shop owner – which is the case with small local shops – is this a cost you feel like paying (which was your question, actually). But on the other hand, there’s a case that those people may actually do something for you. Someone is handling all the paperwork for importing things. Maybe you have a store owner that curates their collection very skillfully, and you KNOW you will find what you need there, and be happy, and NOT waste time (because time IS money these days, even if it’s just because you wasted too much time at the mall/online not finding what you need, didn’t have time to prepare food and ended up eating out). Maybe you have a seller who is actually very helpful, making your life easier, and your shopping enjoyable. Some of these people deserve their money. And of course, some do not! But then again, how many of today’s professions are actually making society better? For example, how much money is spent in the advertising industry, in order to cultivate the aforementioned vanity and/or greed that drives all of this?

    Ok, I’m going to stop writing, this may have ended up being longer than your actual post! lol

  53. To echo what many have mentioned, it scares me to send financial information to China! I realize they and Russia probably already have most of our info, but don’t want to blithely give them access by sending credit card info, not to mention personal info plus address, etc. My dear sister-in-law buys me stuff from Temu once in a while, because they sell plus-size clothing for much less. But it just adds to the clutter, and since I’ll be turning 70 soon, I need to down-size, rather than adding more to the closet. I’ve enjoyed the many interesting comments here, and hope to look at some sources mentioned once I retire. Love reading your thoughts on organizing!

  54. Makes you wonder if the American companies are buying their products from Temu and reselling them at a huge profit

  55. I buy almost weekly from temu, and have for over a year. I have never had a defective or cheap junk delivered. I have been very satisfied with the quality of the products. I would guess most of what we buy in stores comes from China anyway.

  56. I have more questions than answers about this topic too. I read an article about a lady who worked at Foxcon in China. She said she actually used to work as a prostitute. She said she would much rather be exploited by a big company for a few dollars a day than a few men for pennys a day. The reality is that there are huge amounts of people in this world that are extremely poor. So I will be glad to read what others have to say.

  57. Personally, I am trying to only purchase 2nd hand or reuse.
    My understanding is that many shops, local or otherwise are purchasing from the same source. If you purchase local, you do help to support the local guy, but, yes, you are paying a huge mark up.
    If only, we could get manufacturers back to producing in N. America. That would require all purchasers to be willing to pay for that as our wages are much higher as is our living standards. Having said that, kudos to you for raising the question!

  58. Watch a documentary called True Cost. I promise it is worth the time. Ever since watching that, I buy 90% if my clothes from resale boutiques… I can no longer ethically support any part of the mainstream fashion industry.

  59. I have never bought from those sites, but yes I have bought clothes from stores and they are made in China. I try to buy natural fabrics but they are getting more difficult to find and often very thin.
    Thankfully my size doesn’t change that much and I have kept well made clothes. When we moved in 2018 I kept my old wide leg pants because the fabric was quality and well made and fashion cycles always repeat. I think the wider leg has been slow to come back because the economy isn’t good and people cannot afford new wardrobes every year.
    Don’t get me started on shoes they are horrible these days I remember the great leather shoes made in Brazil, and in the U.S.A. they lasted and fit.
    I also try to be careful when buying make up brands and brushes. E.L.F. is cheap it is made in China and I don’t buy their products.

  60. I have never bought from those sites, but yes I have bought clothes from stores that are made in China. I try to buy natural fabrics but they are getting more difficult to find and often very thin.
    Thankfully my size doesn’t change that much and I have kept well made clothes. When we moved I kept my old wide leg pants because the fabric was quality and well made and fashion cycles always repeat. I think the wider leg has been slow to come back because the economy isn’t good and people cannot afford new wardrobes every year.
    Don’t get me started on shoes they are horrible these days I remember the great leather shoes made in Brazil, and in the U.S.A. they lasted and fit.
    I also try to be careful when buying make up brands and brushes. E.L.F. is cheap it is made in China and I don’t buy their products.

  61. I have a pretty strong opinion about this one. I studied about this 10 years ago. The problem began when America decided to sell out its garment industry to worship the god of $$, ie going to China and other places, doing it just for cheaps, not ethics. I’m not against overseas made clothes but it should be done ethically.

    Also the quality and construction has become flimsy and poor, compared to older goods. I buy used and vintage clothes and compare the construction. Sometimes the older stuff is superior! I like dressing in vintage inspired stuff and classics over trends anyway. As a result I’ll shop 2nd hand (thrift stores, thred up) because the damage has been done. For new I buy staples from Everlane, who’s great about disclosing their process. They are NOT cheap but are high quality. I wear my Everlane pieces over and over. I’ve also shopped at EShakti (in India) and they are known for pretty dresses, cute embroidered stuff in a huge size range.

    I will not even buy Shein in a thrift store. Amazon is being flooded with cheap China crud that sadly ends up in the thrift stores.

    Buy the classics the best quality you can afford. These pieces WILL last for years. and get it 2nd hsnd as much as possible, and if you have the hankering, sew.

    ThredUp isn’t perfect but it has a huge selection and improved their search.

    Nick Lewis has a home decor vid on white labeled furniture. The same is happening with clothes.

    Fast Fashion exists cause people buy it, as the SNL sketch showed, and it’s been a problem in the making for 20+ years.

  62. I stopped supporting fast fashion and overseas manufacturing years ago when I heard that you can tell what the season’s trending colours are going to be by looking at the rivers in China. That’s too much environmental devastation for me. I am also bothered by the toxic smell of those clothes, so I started to purchase organic clothes from places like Coyuchi (lounge wear), Harvest & Mill (socks), Blue Canoe (work), Salts and West, and so on. I pay more per piece, but I also buy less. I already have so many clothes from my past purchases that my wardrobe is still varied, but when all of that eventually wears out, I won’t buy more from China or any other dictatorship. I will continue to purchase only from reputable, ethical, non-toxic companies, even if my wardrobe is less varied.

  63. I told my granddaughter two years ago that I would not order any of her birthday or Christmas gifts from SHEIN or Temu even though she loves their things. Both of them are Chinese companies harvesting our information, following us online, and making clothes and other items in poor working conditions. I just can’t support companies like that. I’m not really all that political, but those two companies really worry me.

  64. Great post. Great comments. Another vote for buying second-hand. I like eBay for that. At least you are giving a garment a second life. Often the photos show tags that indicate county of origin, plus fiber, as well as size. Sometimes the photos show items still have tags attached. You can search indicating your favorite brands, and usually negotiate the price. It helps if you have some sewing skills to shorten sleeves or hems, etc. It also helps if you don’t need an extensive or up-to-the-minute wardrobe. A capsule of favorites and versatile classics can be updated with personalized styling…like homemade earrings! I’d rather have less of better quality.

  65. A few years ago a friend designed a sandal for her daughters sorority. She could not find a company to make them here in America. So against what we all told her she went to China to view production places. We explained to her how she would never be shown the sweat shops. So she came bake an told us every company had only 2 or 3 people working. Yes she is that naive! Well she ordered the shoes and paid way more in shipping than for the shoes. That is why prices of things here in America have to be so high for items made in China. I have tried shopping for made in America only and its very hard to buy anything made in America. This will be the downfall of the USA. I refuse to buy from Temu and Shein. lve heard they are collecting info from everyone who buys from them. Well l am not naive enough to think they can’t get any info about me they want at anytime. I just rather pay the price shops here have to ask to cover their shipping and paying their workers. This is the world we live in. I’m glad I’m on the downside if my life. This is some of my opinion and some actual facts.

  66. Great topic~ It is very challenging to find clothing that is ethical and made in the USA is near impossible. I’ve never and will never, buy from Shein or Temu. (yes the search results and the assault of the advertising is insane. And I have adblock. Sorry. I see how many ads you have on your blog). The American companies like Mod, disgust me when they’re selling these products at a huge mark up. The stores you mentioned, from what I’ve heard/researched are just as guilty; Walmart, gap, old navy, (not sure about Loft). Sadly, a lot of “high end” clothing name brands do the same thing. Maybe not as sheisty as Temu/Shein, but still the high end clothing is just as cheap, but over priced because people are paying for the name attached to it.
    Personally, I try to avoid buying new clothing. I shop vintage, because it’s US made and is still in great to good condition. Even this is getting more challenging. I think it will come to the point I’ll need to make my own clothes. (no, I don’t know how, but I can learn). I don’t pass judgment on anyone who buys modern clothing. We’re in a pickle. All of our industries are overseas. Stupid on our part. We need to bring our industries back to America. =/

  67. Hi,
    I think you can cut out the middleman and buy from Shein or Temu since this way the actual maker of the clothes gets the money directly. The awareness of fast fashion is so that you will think about it before we buy clothes and consider buying used or holding on to items longer and donating items instead of throwing them away.

  68. There’s a shorts-channel on YouTube, with a series called, “China Fakes Everything.” The channel shows how meat is painted to look like something else. Pesticides mixed in with cooking oil. You get the picture. As I’ve aged, I seriously try to find stuff at vintage stores, Etsy or ThredUp, for example. But you’re correct: SO. MUCH. “Made In China” is all over the place, in every facet of living. If it can helped, I try to avoid their products as much as possible. Thank God for Poshmark, Mercari, eBay, and others.

  69. I used to do Merger & Acquisition IT Due Diligence as an Information Security Advisory Consultant. Several of the companies my client purchased had products with factories in China or outsourced the manufacturing to China. All of the design and marketing, market research, and materials sourcing was done elsewhere. To do business in China, all of the Intellectual Property (IP) for the product is shared with the CCP. Chinese companies will then use that IP to manufacture the products and sell them at drastically lower price points with lower quality materials.
    For example: A Carrara marble-topped bathroom vanity designed and sold by the US company vs a marble-look top vanity sold by the Chinese company. They look identical, but obviously the US company’s product is much higher quality though both are Made in China. The Carrara marble is quarried in Tuscany, shipped to China where they cut and finish it according to design specs, and attach to the vanity base.
    I would caution that we don’t discredit the US product because it is assembled in China. I also know that many of the tech products we use are assembled in China for the US company while China is making the same product with cheaper materials on a different assembly line in the same building. China copies US design to benefit their own country and companies.
    I will still buy from the US company first, even if it is assembled in China.
    TikTok is the largest vacuum of US and other countries information straight to the CCP, regardless of what they say to US leadership. It is wise to be vigilant and guard against the way China is invading the US and other countries covertly. Take note of the large swaths of land they have purchased here, including right next to a US military facility.

  70. I used to work for a US company that sold both apparel and home decor in our own national chain of stores- I was the product manager for those divisions, and went to China with our sourcing teams to visit factories multiple times a year. What I can tell you is that those factories made products for multiple national chains and brands- so a knits factory would produce for mid-level brands like Calvin Klein, and also for Wal-Mart, or a decor factory would produce for Hobby Lobby, and also for Williams Sonoma. Small boutiques go to market and buy from distributors who import from these factories, and those items are probably most subject to low quality v. items coming from a larger chain/brand- because the larger chain/brand has more involvement with the process and can stipulate tweaks/changes/quality reviews that a small boutique has no chance of having. Factory and worker conditions varied greatly- ones used by US national brands are regularly audited and therefore treat workers much better; ones used by a Shein or non-brand brand get away with poor conditions/quality/etc because no one is holding them directly accountable. We never engaged those factories. At the end of the day, mass-produced imports are mass-produced imports, and while we can’t completely escape it, each of us has to pick and choose our battles. Personally, I now try to buy fewer items of the highest quality possible, and for me that mostly means Made in the US and natural fibers only (I buy a lot of vintage 80’s/90’s from well-established brands), and prices paid are quite low- think Target clearance prices. This works for me, but we each have to decide what our tolerance levels are.

  71. and so…..i have thrifted my clothes for over four decades and have found the most amazing items in natural fabrics that were way out of my budget, for pennies on the dollar. I frequently score brand new items with tags. I have learned how to get the harmful chemicals of most laundry detergents and softeners out of the used clothes and how to remove stains. Fortunately, I am also able to tailor fit my finds to suit me. Less waste in landfill and unique and affordable options for me. WIN, WIN.

  72. I am the same way when it comes to clothing and home decor. I grew up with my family having access to used items. My passion is to find nice used furniture and either refinish it if needed or paint it, add new or vintage handles and create a piece that will be in my home for years. I’m a vintage glassware, China, etc buyer because I love the colors and quality. Homes should be what represents you and your heart. We love making changes to our home where we have things we love around us.
    Clothing, I see why you are conflicted. You have to draw your own lines on what you will buy and not buy. I know why the price at the boutique is so much more. You are helping them by paying their costs to for rent, utilities etc to be near you. It does make you think twice as to why the price is so high when the no doubt bought it for the low price. They could be replacing the labels to ones made for their boutique. I personally only buy what I need and nothing more. I’m overweight and do not like how clothes look on me right now. I have never been a big spender on shoes, clothes, purses, jewelry. I buy used when I can, and love the hunt. My clothes that are smaller are in a bin and I an getting ready to start a diet with help from my ARNP.
    I do not like temp or any of the stores try to hook US shoppers to their items that are brought here from China to cause interrupting to our companies. If you research a bit you can find what all this can cause our businesses to take huge losses and force us all to only buy from them. I have an issue with that, the work force is abused and the fabrics are poor quality. Some fabrics are made with petroleum products which is horrible for your body. Your skin is next to them and some people can get horrible reactions. I buy a lot of cotton because of my auto immune diseases. I break out easily from certain fabrics with petroleum based fabric and colors.
    That’s my 2 cents worth, you can find your comfort zone. When you research more on these companies you may adjust your choices.

  73. I have placed a few orders from TEMU, never Shein (my daughter has used both). What bothers me is I see people selling items on Amazon and Etsy that are marked up 300-700%, so I always check before I buy. (I’ve actually found some things on Amazon that are the same price or even cheaper than TEMU, and you’ll get it faster with Amazon, of course)
    After watching a few documentaries about fast fashion, I feel like it doesn’t matter who you buy from. Even American companies are considered fast fashion, and on one documentary, a company wanted a “made in Italy” label, so they set up a sweat shop in Italy. It’s sad, because it seems like you can’t get around it anymore, unless someone is making clothes by hand and selling them.

    1. ^^All that to say – now I try and thrift when I can, and buy vintage things – especially decor! Love the look of vintage and typically better quality than anything made now.

  74. I’m in Brazil and the market here is also filled with “made in China”. But it is even worse quality than the “made in China” that you can get in the US. My guess is that culturally we don’t use clothes driers, we line dry, so they send even weaker fabrics and weaker seams to us.

    I tend to buy very few clothes, mostly used in the US. Every few years I’ll go on vacation, chose some place to visit and buy most of my clothes. Whatever I cannot find used I buy in places like Ross.

    What I need between trips I buy in Brazil, mostly also made in China, except for panties – Brazil still makes great panties. Recently I managed to buy a pair of sneakers also made in Brazil. A rare find.

  75. Sorry Kirsti all you are supporting what we call in England is Sweatshops, where woman & men work in slave like conditions for a Pittance of money and long hours , these clothes are made of cheap Indian cotton and cheap Indian cotton thread, you are supporting nothing except the slave trade, these people work probably 15 hours a day for slave wages more than likely getting 1 Rupee for a bale of 30 garments and will be expected to do about 15 bales a day that`s 15 Rupees out which they will have to pay for the use of their cot they are forced to live in dormitories which is little more than a mat or a low cot on the floor and they run a 2 shift system days & nights in some of the factories when the day shift finishes they go and get in the same bed as the night workers,have just left very few live with their families because there is no work in their villages so they have to move and leave home, here in England Indian immigrants have tried the same thing but because of of our system for Laws and un- announced visits from Inspectors they have been caught out and closed down,top fashion houses outsource to these sweatshops, to make their clothes it all about the profit margin and they are using the same material as cheap clothing, you are not getting quality material at all 99.99% of what you buy and are paying $50-70 for that garment the only country with an exception in some cases is the top fashion Houses in Italy, but even they use them at times for the cheaper clothes . This has been going on for years & years,, I used to work in the rag trade here in Nottingham years ago where we had plenty of our own thriving rag trade Factories and Unions to make sure we got fair wages and hours of work, we had a thriving rag trade and we are famous, for Nottingham Lace, we had an ares in Nottingham called the Lace Market which is still there but no longer has any manufacturing factories , everything, was made there , Lace, underwear, Nightwear, outdoor and daywear clothes, , but now it`s 99.99% outsourced to India so sorry Kirsti you are not supporting local firms you are supporting the Sweatshops in India and other countries sweatshops, and the material is always of poor quality,.