// Lawmakers in the US have expressed their concerns about Shein violating human rights
// The letter comes ahead of a potential US IPO later this year
US lawmakers have written to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) “with serious concerns” about Shein using Uyghur forced labour to create its clothes, calling for an investigation into forced labour practices ahead of a potential US IPO later this year.
The letter, sent from a bipartisan group of 22 US House of Representatives members, read: “There are credible allegations of the company’s use of underpaid and forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.”
The US has banned all imports from the Xinjiang region over concerns of the use of forced labour.
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However, Shein told the BBC: “We are committed to respecting human rights and adhering to local laws and regulations in each market we operate in.
“Our suppliers must adhere to a strict code of conduct that is aligned to the International Labour Organisation’s core conventions,” it added.
Shein has been attracting negative headlines regarding workers’ rights. Last year, Bloomberg found cotton shipped to the US by Shein was linked to the Xinjiang region where Uyghurs are being abused.
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