Innovation is what will propel the fashion industry towards a more sustainable and ethical future. We look to embed circularity principles and resource-saving technologies into our operations to work towards a future with less waste produced across the industry.
We believe that innovative solutions will be needed to address the systemic challenges of the fashion industry, with collaboration across the ecosystem involving all parts of the value chain, from suppliers to customers.
Our Targets and Aspirations
We believe that innovative solutions will be needed to address the systemic challenges of the fashion industry, with collaboration across the ecosystem involving all parts of the value chain, from suppliers to customers. We are committed to helping drive this industry-wide transition by supporting advancements in materials innovation, production planning, end-of-life management, and increasing customer engagement to promote circularity.
Our targets and aspirations are to:
Engage the majority of SHEIN’s customers in circularity by 2025*
Become a global leader in rescuing deadstock materials from becoming waste*
Establish a fully circular textile supply chain by 2050 in alignment with our World Circular Textiles Day commitment*.
Our strategic priorities for driving impact are to:
*SOURCE: SHEIN's 2025 Sustainability and Social Impact Report.
By using technology to introduce more efficient processes throughout our value chain, SHEIN aims to reduce water, energy, and material use while minimising waste and promoting responsible resource use.
Optimise Resource Efficiency
By leveraging technology to introduce more efficient processes throughout our value chain, SHEIN strives to minimize the use of essential resources such as water, energy, and raw materials, reduce waste generation, and promote responsible resource use.
Waste-less innovation
What distinguishes SHEIN from traditional retailers is our on-demand business model, which strives to minimise wastage from the start. Overproduction occurs due to a mismatch of demand and supply –…
In line with leveraging our edge in innovation, we invest in the research and development of manufacturing technology and production processes that consume less water and encourage the adoption of…
We believe that true circularity can only be achieved through collaborative action. This includes efforts to minimize textile waste within our own operations, as well as collaborations with like-minded partners and industry experts to advance a fully circular textile ecosystem, from raw material sourcing to product end-of-life management.
Advancing circularity through global collaboration.
Since 2022, SHEIN has been a signatory of World Circular Textiles Day, together with a global coalition of brands, suppliers, and other organisations united in the common goal of achieving full…
Customers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and seeking ways to extend the lifespan of their clothing. We encourage the prolonged use of our products and are committed to designing with…
In 2022, SHEIN launched SHEIN Exchange, a peer-to-peer resale platform that enables customers to buy and sell pre-owned SHEIN items. SHEIN Exchange features user-friendly tools, such as automatic…
In 2025, we leveraged opportunities where we have a physical presence to make it more convenient for our customers to participate in clothing donation activities.
In Japan, where we have a permanent…
Downcycling textile waste
In 2024, we piloted an initiative with one of our supplier factories to collect and blend fabric scraps generated during the cutting and printing processes with other inputs, reprocessing them into…
Addressing end-of-life textiles through global initiatives.
SHEIN is committed to finding sustainable solutions to address the issue of discarded textiles. Since 2022, we have supported efforts to tackle global textile waste management and further the…
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Compliance
At SHEIN, operating a global online fashion and lifestyle marketplace comes with a commitment to global responsibility. As part of our broader environmental and regulatory compliance strategy, we actively manage the end-of-life impact of the products and packaging sold on our platform. We are fully compliant with over 120 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes worldwide, partnering with recognized Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) to ensure the responsible collection, sorting, and recycling of waste.
Compliance at Scale: Our Reach
We maintain a rigorous global infrastructure to manage our obligations as a producer, while also providing critical compliance support for the third-party sellers operating on our marketplace.
Comprehensive Waste Stream Management
Our EPR compliance infrastructure covers all major regulatory waste streams across our operating markets. By funding these schemes, we support local waste management and recycling ecosystems.
Enabling Our Marketplace Sellers
Navigating international environmental regulations can be challenging for small and medium-sized businesses. In addition to meeting our own direct obligations, SHEIN is committed to helping marketplace sellers understand and comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements. We provide practical tools, resources, and guidance to keep sellers informed about relevant EPR rules and help them achieve and maintain compliance. In jurisdictions where SHEIN is permitted to act as the deemed producer on behalf of sellers, we offer pay-on-behalf services—providing a simpler, more streamlined way for sellers to meet their EPR obligations.
We view regulatory compliance as a foundational element of our broader circular economy efforts. We commit to maintaining 100% EPR compliance in all markets where we operate and expanding our PRO support network for our 3P sellers as new regulations emerge.
We’re using our disruptive mindset to drive positive change in fashion and beyond by rapidly testing and scaling sustainable innovations.
Accelerate Sustainable Innovation
SHEIN’s on-demand business model is innovative and tech-driven. We take a similarly agile approach to sustainable innovation, involving research and development, strategic data analytics, testing, and the scaling of new solutions and business models.
Our test-and-scale approach
Our culture thrives on a test-and-scale approach in the product development process. Our employees are encouraged to proactively identify areas for improvement in our current products or new…
Center of Innovation for Garment Manufacturing (CIGM)
Established in 2022, SHEIN’s Centre of Innovation for Garment Manufacturing (CIGM) focuses on developing waste reduction and efficiency-enhancing technologies that can be standardised and scaled…
SHEIN’s partnership with Aloqia has continued to grow since 2022. As of 2024, Aloqia’s proprietary software has been integrated into SHEIN’s sourcing system, enhancing the flow of information between…
