Member-only story

Temu’s Fast Fashion Empire Lacks Safeguards Against Forced Labor — Retail Bum

Retail Bum
2 min readJun 29, 2023

--

Chinese fast fashion retailer Temu is evading safeguards against the use of forced labor, according to an interim report by the American Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, chaired by Mike Gallagher and with Raja Krishnamoorthi as the ranking member.

The report, which is based on an investigation into the business practices of Shein and Temu, along with those of Nike and Adidas, found issues pertaining to forced labor and the exploitation of import regulations.

Shein and Temu were found to be abusing the ‘de minimis’ provisions, which let them evade customs enforcement. These provisions enable the entry of their products, valued under $800, into the United States without inspection or duties. Of particular concern is Temu’s lack of a robust system to ensure adherence to the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act (UFLPA), raising worries about the potential introduction of fashion items produced through forced labor into consumers’ homes.

Speaking on the report’s findings, Chairman Gallagher expressed deep dismay, specifically underscoring Temu’s negligence in ensuring that its supply chains remain free from exploitative labor practices. He also highlighted that Shein and Temu’s exploitation of the de minimis loophole allows them to bypass import taxes…

--

--

Retail Bum
Retail Bum

No responses yet