Shein requires its contract manufacturers to only source cotton from approved regions, which do not include China, for products it sells in the US, the retailer’s biggest market. Shein wrote in a letter, on 24 January, approved cotton sources include Australia, Brazil, India, the US and “in limited cases” certain EU, Middle East, African and Southeast Asian countries.

Shein's general counsel for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Yinan Zhu said in written evidence to a British parliamentary committee chair that requirement for Shein’s compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act legislation intended to ban products made by forced labour in China from entering the US.

The Singapore-headquartered retailer has faced accusations that products contain cotton from China’s Xinjiang province, with the US and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) stating there is forced labour and human rights