SHEIN has secured third-party validation for its net zero emissions targets from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), marking what the company calls a milestone in its climate journey. This green light signals that SHEIN’s plans align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. But as the retailer promises to address the full scope of its environmental impact, including its sprawling supply chain, concerns persist about whether the brand’s rapid growth and reliance on cheap, disposable clothing are fundamentally at odds with its climate aspirations.
Supply Chain at the Center of Climate Strategy
SHEIN’s plan sets a 2050 deadline for net zero emissions, covering Scope 1 (direct operations), Scope 2 (energy use), and the far-reaching Scope 3 (supply chain and product lifecycle) emissions that account for most of its footprint. The company aims to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 and Scope 3 emissions by 25%, while transitioning fully to renewable electricity in its operations.
To navigate this path, SHEIN has partnered with sustainability consultancy Anthesis Group to craft a decarbonisation roadmap that addresses its supply chain—where 96% of its emissions reside. Measures include reducing reliance on virgin polyester and investing in textile recycling R&D with Donghua University. The company also plans to help suppliers switch to renewable energy and adopt cleaner production practices, while refining logistics and packaging to reduce transport emissions.
Balancing Circularity and Fast Fashion
Internally, SHEIN is focused on boosting renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency. Its target to shift to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 involves on-site solar and the use of Energy Attribute Certificates. Logistics and transport are also in the crosshairs, with a push for electric vehicles and operational upgrades.
On the circularity front, SHEIN is expanding resale initiatives through SHEIN Exchange and enhancing recycling in its packaging. Notably, in 2024, over half of its express delivery bags contained at least 50% GRS-certified recycled polyethylene.
However, these actions sit uneasily with SHEIN’s core business model. The brand’s fast turnaround of synthetic, mass-produced clothes remains an environmental flashpoint. Polyester, a mainstay of its garments, is petroleum-based and energy-intensive to produce, undermining its climate ambitions. Criticism has also centered on allegations of child labor, chemical safety issues, and copyright violations—factors that cloud the brand’s claims of environmental stewardship.
Can Growth and Sustainability Coexist?
Even with SBTi’s endorsement, independent voices are skeptical of how SHEIN’s climate ambitions square with its aggressive growth targets. Ken Pucker, Professor of the Practice at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, noted on LinkedIn that if SHEIN grows 25% in the near term, it would need to slash carbon intensity by 85% per unit, an outcome he finds hard to believe.
This gap highlights a larger tension: whether decarbonisation goals can truly coexist with a fast fashion business model built on cheap, disposable trends. As SHEIN pushes ahead, its credibility will hinge not just on roadmaps and pledges, but on deep, transparent reforms that tackle the complex realities of its global supply chain.
Looking Beyond Targets
SHEIN’s efforts to align with global climate goals mark a step forward, yet the scale of its operations raises a stark question: can emissions truly be cut while demand for ever-cheaper, trend-driven clothing keeps rising?
Brands chasing carbon-neutral claims face a dilemma—ambitious targets alone cannot offset the environmental price of fast fashion’s volume-driven cycle. Real progress may depend less on better recycling or supplier transitions and more on fundamentally rethinking how the business of clothing itself can become part of the solution.
