Daily Skimm: Shein is in hot water as US lawmakers try to verify the fast-fashion company doesn't depend on forced labor.

She-out

The Story

Congress is pressing Shein over human rights concerns.

How did all of this unfold?

This week, a bipartisan group of 22 US lawmakers wrote a letter to the SEC. In it, they called on the agency to require the Chinese company to confirm that it doesn't use Uyghur forced labor. Reminder: Last summer, the US banned all imports from the Xinjiang region over forced labor concerns. Since it was founded in 2008, Shein has become a go-to fast fashion app thanks to TikTok and influencers' #Sheinhaul(s). Gen Zers shopping on a budget found the company's low prices especially appealing. Now, lawmakers want the SEC to look behind the seams of Shein's business practices.

Why now?

The gov is checking its shopping cart one more time before Shein is expected to go public later this year. Last month, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) sounded an alarm against Chinese e-commerce sites like Shein and its rival, Temu, after a report found the companies were possibly using forced labor, trade loopholes, or intellectual property theft. This week’s letter shows Congress’s urgency in taking a closer look at Shein as its popularity climbs in the US. The company, which was valued at $100 billion in 2022, is now worth more than H&M and Zara combined.

Should I put shopping on pause?

You may want to hold on to your mesh bodysuit. It’s not clear how Shein produces its clothes. It reportedly has over 6,000 factories in China with most of them located in the southern Guangdong province. A Shein spokesperson said the company doesn’t have suppliers in the Xinjiang region, adding it has “zero tolerance” for forced labor. Meanwhile, Congress's push is reigniting the conversation around fast fashion, which critics say contributes to environmental waste.

theSkimm

Inflation has made the cost of everyday purchases go up, but fast fashion tycoons like Shein have made shopping for trendy pieces possible. Now, lawmakers are searching for the real cost behind Shein’s garments.

What’s got us feeling like ‘Mr. Lonely’...

A warning on loneliness. Yesterday, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a public health epidemic. Murthy said half of US adults experience loneliness, and that it can be as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Research over the years has also found isolation can lead to sleep issues, depression, anxiety, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. The pandemic only exacerbated those problems. Now, in an 82-page advisory, Murthy outlined a framework to repair social connection. It recommends boosting social infrastructures with volunteer organizations, public transportation, and green spaces. It also encourages the gov to track and stop harmful policies, products, and services that further isolate people. However, the advisory — which came during Mental Health Awareness Month — didn’t mention whether new federal funding will be allocated to combat the epidemic.

Where there are updates…

Texas. Yesterday, officials said they arrested the 38-year-old suspect accused of shooting and killing his five neighbors. Authorities said a tip to the FBI led them to find Francisco Oropeza about 17 miles away from the scene of the killings. His arrest brings an end to a four-day manhunt involving more than 250 law enforcement officers. Officials had been offering an $80,000 reward for info leading to Oropeza's arrest. Immigration officials said, Oropeza, who is from Mexico, had been deported four times. Now, he's being charged with five counts of murder and is being held on a $5 million bond. Authorities are investigating if anyone helped him avoid the police after the massacre.

What’s pulling a red card…

FIFA. Earlier this week, FIFA’s president warned the Women’s World Cup will not be televised in five European countries unless broadcasters meet demands. Gianni Infantino said broadcasters from the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France only offered FIFA $1 to $10 million for the rights to broadcast the women's games this year. It's a big difference from the $100 to $200 million offered for the men's World Cup. Now, Infantino says the current offers are a “slap in the face” for women all around the world, especially since more than 1 billion viewers tuned in to the 2019 Women’s World Cup. He’s calling on broadcasters to beef up their spending or risk losing the women’s games when the tournament kicks off in July.

What people are watching…

Sudan. Yesterday, the two sides fighting for the country's control reportedly agreed to a seven-day ceasefire. Since the conflict began last month, at least 500 people have died, Western countries including the US have evacuated embassies, and humanitarian aid has been put on pause. It all comes as the UN predicted that more than 800,000 people could be forced to flee Sudan due to the conflict. Now, many hope this new ceasefire — set to begin tomorrow — will last as many in the country face food and water shortages.

What's giving its regards to Broadway…

The 2023 Tony Award nominees.

Who's feeling like the only girl in the world...

Rihanna.