• The Shein brand opened a pop-up store in Lyon from March 11 to 14.
  • If this initiative has made the happiness of hundreds of people who rushed into the store, which usually sells only on the Internet, it is also debated in the city EELV.
  • Several militant actions were carried out on Saturday, at the opening.

It was the weekend event for hundreds of people in Lyon. Shein set up a pop-up shop from March 11 to 14 on rue de la Part-Dieu. This Chinese brand of clothing at very low prices, very popular among 15-25 year olds, is sold only on the Internet usually. If it seduces a part of the population, it is also very problematic for others who denounce its weight on the environment and the working conditions imposed on its employees.

On Saturday, the first day of the opening of the Lyon pop-up store, the Extinction Rebellion (XR) collective spilled fake blood and sprayed the goods with water, to make them temporarily unsaleable without damaging them. A few hours later, the Lyon-based ethical brand Wedressfair also carried out an activist action to raise awareness among people waiting to enter the store to denounce "Shein's misdeeds".

Responsible for 22% of young people's CO2 footprint

In a statement, the collective of civil disobedience of Lyon says that the brand "pushes to overconsumption by adding every day about 6,000 new items on its site". Before adding: "His merchandise is of poor quality and goes around the world, to be used only a few times, before deteriorating or worse, having gone out of fashion." For example, a study by Teenage Lab by Pixpay revealed that the brand is responsible for 22% of young people's CO2 footprint.

Shein was also singled out in November 2022 by a report by Greenpeace Germany. Nearly 20% of the Chinese giant's clothing tested would contain "hazardous chemicals", with levels "exceeding up to 100 times the limits set by the European Chemicals Regulation".

For its part, the brand assures on its website "use on-demand manufacturing technology to connect suppliers to [the] agile supply chain, reducing inventory waste and allowing us to deliver a variety of affordable products to customers around the world."

Other actions to come

In addition to its environmental impact, the XR collective denounces the "disrespect for human rights" of the Chinese brand. According to several international media investigations, Shein exploits "massively Uyghurs to produce cotton for the manufacture of his merchandise" and employs "workers more than 18 hours a day for a salary of only eighteen euros a day with only one day of rest per month".

Faced with this situation, Wedressfair then distributed leaflets "Shein is destroying the planet, your health, lives" to people queuing in front of the pop-up store. The goal was "to open a dialogue with less aware audiences, raise awareness of the issues posed by companies like Shein and propose alternatives".

Extinction Rebellion has already announced new actions if the store "does not close immediately" in Lyon.



In a tweet, Camille Augey, deputy mayor in charge of employment and sustainable economy, took a stand. "Shein, with its deadly social and environmental practices, is the opposite of the values promoted by the City of Lyon: a commercial activity respectful of people and the planet, favoring local manufacturing and quality and sustainable products," she wrote without any action being taken.

  • Planet
  • Lyon
  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
  • Rhône-Alpes
  • Fashion
  • Consumption
  • Ecology