the ease of misleading people through design

look at this company it fucking suxxxx

but look ooh i can make an advert and trick people into associating it with environmental wellbeing using the power of *graphic design*

a 'haul' is a popular genre of youtube video where someone buys a vast amount of clothing/ accessories and tries them on whilst giving commentary. videos like this encourage over-consumption and companies such as Shein make it easy for people to over consume with their cheap prices, constant sales and vast inventory.

SHEIN's environment rating is 'very poor'. There is no evidence that it has taken meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals. It uses few eco-friendly materials. There is no evidence it reduces its carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain. There is no evidence it has a policy to minimise the impacts of microplastics.

Its labour rating is 'very poor'. There is no evidence it has worker empowerment initiatives such as collective bargaining or rights to make a complaint. It sources its final stage of production from countries with extreme risk of labour abuse. There is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain. It audits some of its supply chain but does not specify what percentage. It does not disclose any policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19.

Its animal rating is 'it's a start'. There is no evidence it has a policy to minimise the suffering of animals. It uses wool. It does not use leather, exotic animal hair, fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin. There is no evidence it traces any animal product to the first stage of production.

SHEIN is rated 'We avoid' overall.

Last Updated: December 2020

"Shein issues about 500 new items a day, all at extremely low prices. And if it seems too good to be true, that’s because it is.

Fast fashion creates cheap, mass-produced clothing articles that are modeled on celebrity or high-end fashion trends. The clothes are not made to be long-lasting and can usually only be worn a few times before deteriorating. The industry is incredibly harmful to the environment, with fashion being the second most polluting industry in the world.

Aside from the pollution caused by the means of production, the nature of fast fashion clothes, which are meant to be thrown away after only a season of wearing them, creates a lot of unnecessary waste."

for my project i will create a green-washed social media campaign for this company to demonstrate how graphic design can influence people's perception of a companies ethics with out the company actually changing their practices.