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Shein, the popular fast-fashion brand, is back in the spotlight again. This time, it’s not about stolen designs or breaking patent rules. Italy has fined the company €1 million, which is around $1.15 million in US dollars. The reason? Shein made claims about being environmentally friendly that turned out to be false or very misleading.
The fine came from Italy’s antitrust agency, which said Shein used confusing and exaggerated language in its marketing. The focus was on a clothing line called “evoluSHEIN by design.” Shein said the clothes in this collection were made from leftover fabric that other brands didn’t use. These leftover materials, according to Shein, would have otherwise ended up in landfills or been burned. That sounds like a good thing. But the agency looked deeper and said these claims didn’t match reality.
Officials said the way Shein talked about the collection made it sound like the products were fully recyclable and made only from eco-friendly materials. But that wasn’t the case. The agency said it was easy for people to get the wrong idea because the company’s wording was either too vague or flat-out wrong.
The agency also had a problem with how Shein talked about its overall environmental impact. For example, Shein claimed it would cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by the year 2030. But the agency said the company’s emissions have gone up since 2023. This made their promises seem more like a trick to make the brand look good rather than a serious effort to help the planet.
After the fine was announced, Shein said it had made some changes. The company said it updated how it checks its marketing messages. It also said it cleaned up its website to make sure all claims about sustainability are now clear, honest, and follow the rules.
This is not the first time Shein has faced trouble for saying it’s more eco-friendly than it is. Just last month, France fined the company €40 million for greenwashing, too. With two major European countries now cracking down, it’s clear that Shein is under pressure to stop making promises it can’t back up.