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Shein Frames Circularity as Convenience; Experts Say That Misses the Point
Alexandra Harrell
4 min read
Shein's narrative is shifting from 'system redesign' to 'consumer alignment,' the ultra-fast fashion giant's latest study suggests.
The Chinese-owned internet retailer published its 2025 Global Circularity Report. Drawing on a survey of nearly 15,500 respondents across 21 markets, the report states that Shein customers buy 'in moderation' and wear items repeatedly—and it argues that the path to circular fashion requires building convenient systems around existing habits rather than changing minds.
'The study indicates that many behaviors commonly associated with circular fashion already occur as part of everyday clothing practices,' the company said in a statement.
At the same time, Shein said the study indicated that purchasing decisions are guided by logic and personal utility, not 'fleeting' trends—as its consumers 'prioritize a functional fit.'
For what it's worth: Alongside a massive supplier network and ultra-fast production cycle, Shein operates on a data-driven, 'real-time' retail model that relies on AI to identify trends.
'The date [sic] indicates that initiatives that promote circularity may be more effective when they align with consumers' everyday routines and provide practical ways for people to repair, reuse or recycle clothing,' Shein said in a statement.
The report focuses on consumer participation, while EPR schemes finance and standardize collection and sorting systems—so participation rates alone may not reflect regulatory impact. Its comparisons to 'national averages' depend on how other studies define clothing items and may not be directly comparable.
That disconnect may exist because the survey tracks what customers say they do, not what actually happens downstream afterward. In essence, it documents reported behavior, not measured circularity—especially given it covers only 0.0174 percent of its reportedly 88.8 million active shoppers.
'Ultimately, the study highlights the pragmatism of consumers,' the report reads. 'Circularity will scale not through abstract ambition, but through systems that work in everyday life.'
Expounding on this issue, Arif Gasilov, a sustainability and ESG strategy partner at consultancy Gasilov Group, said the framing conflates 'wearing clothes because they're comfortable' with circular behavior. He argued that asking 15,000 customers whether they wear a shirt more than 50 times reflects garment utility, not true circularity—meaning whether materials re-enter the production cycle or end up in landfill.
Gasilov called this a self-commissioned survey asking Shein customers to self-report wear frequency, making it a repackaged customer satisfaction survey, not a meaningful circularity study, he told Sourcing Journal. Wearing a $5 top 50 times before it ends up in a landfill is still linear consumption, he continued, just at a slower pace.
Shein's 2024 impact report shows transport and distribution emissions exceeded 8.5 million metric tons of CO2e—a 13.7 percent rise from 2023—and fuel- and energy-related activities rose 106 percent, per Gasilov.
'Publishing a feel-good consumer survey a few months later without addressing the production and logistics footprint at all is a pattern I have seen across fast-fashion sustainability communications regarding focusing on downstream consumer behavior to draw attention away from upstream operational impact.'
Echoing his critiques, fashion designer Amanda Jane Valentine called the report unsurprising and of no weight.
'It doesn't signal any movement toward Shein's circularity—it's just a distraction, using their customers as a shield,' Valentine told SJ. 'Rather than hold any accountability of their own, large corporations would rather put the spotlight and effort on the consumer to carry the weight of circularity.'
After working with design teams at Marc Jacobs and Coach 1941, she founded her eponymous company, AJ Valentine Consulting, to help emerging, ethically minded founders make their mark.
'We've seen this historically, Valentine said. 'With pressure to use paper straws, to bring our own totes and to do our part in keeping the Earth clean—and while that's true, small actions do matter and add up, large corporations create a monumental amount of waste, water and energy consumption; they should be held to higher standards.'
That said, Shein's study offers one key insight, according to Disney Petit, the founder and CEO of LiquiDonate: it confirms that consumers—especially younger shoppers—want practical circular options.
'That matters because it shows circularity is no longer niche,' Petit told SJ. 'Customers increasingly expect better outcomes for the products they buy.'
At the same time, she continued, the study 'reveals much more about downstream consumer behavior than upstream brand responsibility.' While Shein may have made more public moves in the eco-arena than it used to, she warned against confusing that with taking the lead on accountability.
Compared with peers like H&M or Zara, Petit said, the focus should be on who is reducing volume, improving durability and investing in end-of-life product management—not who has the best circular messaging. While it's still too early to say which company will emerge as a true leader in circularity, Petit said it's increasingly clear that the status quo will not be tolerated much longer.
'Circular fashion is not just about what happens after a garment is sold,' per Petit. 'It's about whether brands are changing the model that created the waste problem in the first place.'