In the bustling city of Guangzhou, southern China, the constant hum of sewing machines fills the air from dawn until late at night. The sounds emanate from factories with open windows, where workers tirelessly stitch T-shirts, shorts, blouses, trousers, and swimwear destined for wardrobes in over 150 countries. This is Panyu, a district known as “Shein Village,” home to a vast network of factories producing goods for some of the world’s largest fast-fashion retailers.
“If there are 31 days in a month, I’ll work 31 days,” one worker told the BBC. Most employees here report having just one day off a month. During a visit to the area, the BBC spent several days touring 10 factories, speaking with four factory owners and over 20 workers. The investigation also included time spent in labor markets and with textile suppliers, revealing a workforce that clocks nearly 75 hours a week behind sewing machines—a clear violation of Chinese labor laws.
For rural workers who migrate to industrial hubs like Guangzhou in search of higher wages, such grueling hours are not uncommon. Guangzhou has long been the world’s factory floor, but the meteoric rise of Shein, a once-obscure Chinese company now valued at around $60 billion, has raised questions about its practices. In just five years, Shein has become a global fast-fashion giant, but its rapid growth has been marred by allegations of worker exploitation and forced labor.
Last year, the company admitted that children had been found working in its Chinese factories. While Shein declined an interview with the BBC, it issued a statement asserting its commitment to “ensuring fair and dignified treatment for all workers in its supply chain” and investing millions in governance and compliance. The company also emphasized its efforts to set high wage standards and enforce its code of conduct across its supply chain.
Shein’s success hinges on its massive scale. Its online inventory lists millions of items, offering clothing at rock-bottom prices. This strategy has propelled its revenue past competitors like H&M, Zara, and Primark. Places like Shein Village, with its approximately 5,000 factories, make this possible. Many of these factories are Shein suppliers, operating in buildings designed to accommodate endless rows of sewing machines, fabric rolls, and bags of scrap material.
The lower floors of these buildings are perpetually open, facilitating a relentless cycle of deliveries and collections. As the day progresses, shelves fill with plastic-wrapped garments bearing Shein’s distinctive five-letter name. Even after 10 p.m., when trucks arrive with fresh supplies, the sewing machines—and the workers bent over them—spring back to life.
A 49-year-old worker from Jiangxi, who asked not to be named, shared her experience: “We usually work 10, 11, or 12 hours a day. On Sundays, we work about three hours less.” She stood in an alley where a dozen people gathered around bulletin boards scanning job postings. This is Shein’s supply chain in action: factories contracted to produce clothing on demand, with orders surging when items like pants become popular. To meet demand, factories often hire temporary workers.
“We earn very little,” the worker said. “The cost of living is quite high now.” She hopes to earn enough to send money to her two children, who live with their grandparents. Workers are paid per piece, with simpler items like T-shirts fetching one or two yuan (less than a dollar) each. A skilled worker can produce about a dozen T-shirts in an hour.
The streets of Panyu double as labor markets, bustling in the morning as workers and scooters weave past breakfast stalls and farmers selling soy milk, chicken, and duck eggs. The BBC found that work hours typically run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., aligning with a report by Swiss advocacy group Public Eye. The report, based on interviews with 13 textile workers in Shein’s supply chain, revealed that many employees work excessive overtime because base wages without overtime are just 2,400 yuan ($327). According to the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, the living wage for the region should be at least 6,512 yuan.
Shein’s empire thrives on the relentless pace of its factories and the low wages paid to its workers. As the company continues to expand, the human cost of its success remains a pressing concern.
