Fast fashion is booming. In response to changes in the sector, an increasing number of businesses are aiming for online sales. One of the key players in the segment is Shein. So, what makes them so special? And how are they beating other major brands?
This article will be all about Shein and websites like Shein. And we will also talk about whether Shein is the right choice in the first place, along with some sustainable alternatives.
Brief Intro To Fast Fashion
The global fast fashion industry is growing like no other. It’s no wonder that a lot of companies are trying to get a piece of the pie. So, what is fast fashion in the first place? In simple terms, fast fashion is a term used to describe fast-moving clothing items.
They are usually cheap and follow the current trends. The main reason it’s called “fast fashion” is that the clothes and their designs move quickly from the catwalk to the retail stores. It gives average consumers a way to purchase trendy clothes at a relatively affordable price.
Why Did Fast Fashion Become So Popular?
The global fast fashion industry is estimated to be worth up to $212 billion by the year 2030. Fast and cheap manufacturing and shipping methods are important drivers of the recent boom. People used to buy clothes and fashion items quite differently back in the day.
During the 1990s, it began to change. Trendy knock-off clothes have started to become very popular. During this time, there was also a change in consumer behavior. People started to shop for entertainment, and spending on clothes also increased in general.
Many companies were able to streamline their processes with innovations in the supply chain, design, and manufacturing. This allowed them to deliver in-demand and fashionable clothes to the market quickly and cheaply.
Big names like Zara and H&M are leaders in this space. Many companies are also trying to adapt to the new and changing market as more and more competition enters. They’re changing their internal workflows and introducing new designs faster than ever.
One of the leaders in this space is the Chinese company, Shein. It’s an e-commerce platform and sort of an online phenomenon. Here’s a more detailed look into Shein.
About Shein
A lot of people might not be familiar with the eCommerce giant. It’s only second to Amazon in the space. And also managed to gain a significant portion of the US fashion market as well. It held a third of the fast fashion market share in 2021 in the US. Shein is a Chinese e-commerce company owned by Zoetop Business Co. Shein sells stylish clothes for men, women, and children.
The secret recipe is cheap and affordable clothing that is also stylish. We have a whole section where we dive deep into Shein’s success story. So, keep on reading for that. Bloomberg News described Shein’s success as a result of it becoming a hit amongst young millennials and Gen Z.
Shein’s catalog is a never-ending supply of cheap, fashionable offerings that have created a boom in its popularity.
The company was founded by Chris Xu, who is also the appointed CEO of the company. It was founded in 2008. Shein mostly operates as an online company and doesn’t have any physical locations. It had some pop-up stores in major locations like Miami and Chicago.
An interesting fact about the company is that most people are unaware of how the name, Shein, is pronounced. The initial feeling would be to pronounce it as “Shine.” However, it’s pronounced “She-in”.
15 Websites Like Shein
The good news is that customers who want to buy affordable and trendy clothes don’t have Shein as the only option. There are tons of alternatives to Shein.
We rounded up the top 15 of the most well-known alternatives for you to choose from. This will give buyers more options when choosing their next outfit.
Uniqlo is one of the most popular clothing brands in the world. Uniqlo is best known for its slightly toned-down and classy outfits. It’s a Japanese brand with a stellar reputation for producing high-quality clothing for men, women, and kids.
Those who want something that’s the closest to Shein, Asos might be worth your time. Their offerings are cheap. But that isn’t all. You’ll find plenty of stylish pieces to choose from as well. The name Asos is an acronym for “As seen on screen”.
An interesting fact about Romwe is that the same company owns Shein. It has similar products and categories to choose from. And the best part is they aren’t that expensive either. Customers should be able to find the exact thing they’re looking for.
Boohoo is a UK-based fast fashion company that makes trendy clothes mainly for women between the ages of 16 and 30. Don’t feel left out, though. Boohoo has a decent range of menswear in their catalog too!
One of the most recognizable Shein alternatives. Forever 21 has recently been pushing a lot of its sales online. This is due to pressure and the changing landscape of the clothing market. Forever 21’s product selection might be a bit limited. But with some digging, customers should be able to find good outfits.
Nasty Gal has been on the market for a long time. It’s a Los Angeles-based company. Some even say that brands like Nasty Gal are the ones that paved the way for companies like Shein.
Pact offers a great choice for those who want to buy from more sustainable brands. They offer great clothing at relatively low prices. Customers will find awesome organic cotton clothing for cheap.
AliExpress certainly isn’t a clothing-focused website. But there are some pretty good deals on clothes. They have clothes for pretty cheap. However, shipping might take some time.
Missguided is a UK-based company that targets 16- to 35-year-old women. It makes all its designs in-house thanks to its talented designers. Missguided is about women empowerment and wants to provide affordable clothing for all.
Those who are looking for a grunge style can check out Hot Topic. There are many options to choose from like graphic t-shirts and themed leggings.
Another good option is Dolls Kill. It’s a pretty solid alternative to Shein. Customers will find the perfect clothing style no matter what their choices are.
Yes, Amazon. The eCommerce giant is still a good place for fast fashion. There are tons of styles and clothing items perfect for anyone.
Dresslily
DressLily offers clothing and accessories for both men and women worldwide. The website offers thousands of products, including clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes, and hair products such as wigs. They boast affordable prices and accept nineteen different currencies.
PrettyLittleThing
It has gone beyond offering just clothing to become an authority in fashion and beauty, providing customers with everything a modern girl needs to to own her own style. It aims to inspire confidence in customers when it comes to how they dress and present themselves to the world,
Solado specializes in racy dresses. It’s a Hong Kong based company and also offers great resort wear for women.
Shein’s Success Secrets
Behind Shein’s success are its bulletproof strategy and unique selling points that make it seemingly unbeatable. Shein’s process is almost flawless, from its marketing, products, market coverage, and affordability.
And it’s safe to say that the company also got a fair amount of boost thanks to the eCommerce boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shein overtook Amazon as the most installed app in the US. Here are some of the key factors that contributed to its success.
Efficient Supply Chain
Efficiency is crucial in the fa
st fashion industry. If brands aren’t efficient, your competitors will eventually take over. And they won’t be able to compete with the aggressive pricing that fast fashion companies are known for.
Shein excels in the efficient supply chain. This efficiency also means that the general cost of operation for the company is low. And goods can be manufactured and sold quickly and seamlessly.
Exceptional Marketing
Any business today is hyper-competitive. And that’s why clothing brands need the right marketing strategy to stand out. Shein also perfected its marketing strategy which also helped it grow so fast. Shein’s use of influencer marketing pays huge dividends. In other words, they do influencer marketing right.
Shein often offers its partners free products. And in return, the influencers make content talking about the brand and their products. The viewers naturally trust the influencers they follow.
And in some cases, they also want to use what they use. This dichotomy is what Shein takes advantage of.
Shein also chooses the right channels to produce their brand and products. Their main target demographic are young millennials and Gen Z. And you’ll see that Shein mostly focuses on digital marketing on super popular platforms like YouTube and Instagram – where most of its audience spends their time.
The company doesn’t stop there though. It even collaborates with big-name celebrities like Katy Perry, Ellie Goulding, Lil Nas X, and more.
Massive Market Coverage
Shein operates in more than 220 countries. This means they cater to a huge market – all of which are potential customers. With such a potential pool of customers, Shein makes it easy for itself to attract new and repeat customers.
Its app offers tons of product categories as well. You’ll find all kinds of things from technology, pet products, and apparel.
Seamless User Experience
Customers love convenience. Shein’s app is masterfully designed to give the customer just that. It’s intuitive and easy to use. So, customers don’t face any friction using it. Coupled with the vast array of products at reasonable prices, Shein has the winning formula right here.
Insights On Its Customer Base
Shein knows its customers well. It mainly targets Gen Z and also young millennials. The company is aware that these customers are interested in affordable and fashionable clothing. Targeting the right kind of customers and knowing what makes them tick, is one of its secret strategies to success.
Shein is a perfect example of being in the right place at the right time. It has a massive presence on YouTube, Tiktok, and Instagram. Coupled with alluring digital marketing and SEO, Shein’s overall marketing strategy worked wonders for itself.
Want to learn more about the success of Shein, read this blog.
Is Shein Ethical?
One of the biggest discussions around fast fashion is ethical manufacturing. So, naturally, one of the largest players in the space raises some questions. How ethical is Shein? A deeper look into the company’s processes reveals some shocking revelations.
From an environmentally friendly standpoint, we don’t see many Shein initiatives. The company does use eco-friendly materials in its production for small amounts of clothes. However, any kind of substantial effort or sustainability program from the company is blatantly missing.
Shein’s labor condition and animal welfare initiatives are disappointing as well. In general, fast fashion is known for its poor labor conditions.
That’s why a more streamlined manufacturer like MGOO Fashion helps clothing brands bring their products to life the right way.
If you want to know about is shein legit, click to read this blog.
5 Ethical Alternatives To Shein
While there are tons of sites like Shein, not all of them are ethical. For fashion forward customers who don’t want to support the many unethical fast fashion practices, here are the top 5 ethical alternatives.
They offer a superb quality product but also promise to uphold a certain ethical standard. And the quality isn’t bad either.
1.CHNGE
This is a US-based company that uses 100% organic materials. The product is high-quality and should last a long time. And the prices aren’t that high either.
Another ethical alternative is Eco-Stylist. There are tons of cool designs along with a dedicated team that’s all about ethics in fast fashion. The choices are a bit limited, however.
Peppermayo is an Australian-based company with a refreshing product catalog and high-quality outfits for all. The prices can vary, but there are plenty of affordable and stylish options.
Tamga products are made with sustainable Lenzing Ecovero fabric. They are lightweight and look pretty stylish.
Last but not least we have Big Bug Press. It’s a US-based company that focuses on using organic cotton and offers a variety of clothing items. Customers can choose from a wide range of t-shirts, pants, jumpsuits, and more.
MGOO Fashion: 15 Years Of Fashion Manufacturing Experience
At MGOO Fashion Apparel Co., Ltd, we pride ourselves on our industry expertise. We have 15 years of fashion manufacturing experience that helps clothing lines get to make your dream a reality. If you’re looking for the right fashion and clothing manufacturer.
MGOO gets SEDEX certified every year and we even offer a 30-day return guarantee on our products. Apart from that, we update our popular choices daily. So, you can always be up to date.
If you want to bring your dream clothing brand to life, then finding the right partner is crucial. And we understand that. Contact us to see how we can take your clothing line to the next level.
Wrapping Up
When it comes to fast fashion, companies can either do it right or the way it has been done for a long time. There are many websites like Shein that do it the right way with ethical and sustainable practices.
At MGOO Fashion Apparel Co. Ltd, we are helping companies make their apparel dreams a reality. Our expertise is in fashion manufacturing.