At the just-concluded, one-day Be the Change Summit 2023, Shein was the event’s “Gold Sponsor”, and the only one

Despite its presently-less-than-sterling global reputation, Chinese fast fashion brand Shein scored big at the recent Be the Change Summit, organised by the Singapore Fashion Council (SFC, formerly TaFF or the Textile and Fashion Federation). Be the Change Summit is an annual meeting (this year’s is the second) on sustainability that is part of SFC’s Fashion Sustainability Program. According to the council’s communique, the event ”aims to provide insights into trends, developments and topics that the region is having in areas of innovation and technology, and sustainability of the fashion industry”. Although Be the Change Summit has a dedicated website, it is presently an empty page. As such, additional information is unavailable.

Attendees to the summit at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on 1 August took note that the top-tier “gold sponsor” this year was the Chinese fast fashion label and online retailer Shein. They were the only one (sitting alongside Shein is the “strategic partner” RGE or Royal Golden Eagle, self-described as “a group of resource-based manufacturing companies with global operations”). It is not known what the value of the Shein sponsorship was. The brand enjoys sponsoring, including influencers, such as the recent group of Americans whose online reactions to a trip to Shein “factories” in China spawned considerable controversy, prompting one of them to cut ties with the brand. According to SFC, “the summit will also discuss how this culturally rich region is leveraging its craft to balance the insatiable demand for fast fashion; and how all these are impacting jobs and careers in this thriving industry.”

“The summit will also discuss how this culturally rich region is leveraging its craft to balance the insatiable demand for fast fashion; and how all these are impacting jobs and careers in this thriving industry”

Singapore Fashion Council

How Shein’s participation squared with the summit’s objective this year, especially in the area of sustainability (or craft), is not clear. Although it has been reported that Shein is intent on exploring sustainability in its business model (according to Reuters, the company “plans to become more focused on sustainability”), critics have pointed out that the disposability of the clothes the brand produces and the staggering quantity place them at a considerable distance from true sustainability. The news site Mothership “queried” SFC about the sponsorship and was told that “collaboration and dialogue” are vital to keeping conversations open to effect “meaningful and impactful” changes and improvements to the industry. It did not say what part—other than being the “gold sponsor”—Shein played in all the positive talk or what exemplary role it played.

Perhaps, Shein’s appeal to SFC was less to do with their sustainability credentials than their standing as a (now) based-in-Singapore fashion company. In late 2021, Shein moved its assets and headquarters from Nanjing to our island. The Straits Times reported last year that the relocation “helps Shein circumvent China’s tough new rules on overseas listings (it was rumoured that they were planning an initial public offering in New York, but nothing concrete yet has emerged)”. It was also widely reported that Shein’s founder and chief executive, Chris Xu, is a permanent resident here, and has purportedly applied for citizenship. It is, however, not known if he has received his pink IC. His company’s monetary support and active participation in SFC-initiated events might just hasten the process.

Illustration: Just So