The Chinese fashion retailer Shein is launching in Greece with a store scheduled to open at Pagrati in central Athens.
Greek media report that other outlets are planned for other Athenian suburbs and cities in Greece.
Founded in Nanjing, China in October 2008 as ZZKKO by entrepreneur Chris Xu, Shein grew to become the world’s largest fashion retailer as of 2022. The company is currently headquartered in Singapore.
Known for selling relatively inexpensive apparel, Shein’s success has been credited to its popularity among Generation Z consumers.
The company was initially compared to a drop shipping business, as it was not involved in design and manufacturing, instead sourcing products from the wholesale clothing market in Guangzhou.
Beginning in 2012, Shein began to establish its own supply chain system, transforming itself into a fully integrated retailer. The company has established its supply chain in Guangzhou with a network of more than 3,000 suppliers as of 2022. However, it has faced controversy due to its use of Chinese sweatshops and child labor.
Controversy over Shein’s practices
In August 2024, the company said it uncovered two cases of child labor between Q1 and Q3 of 2023. Shein said the discoveries were made through the company’s audits of suppliers working with the brand. Shein says it defines children as anyone under the age of 15; in China, it’s illegal to employ children under 16. Shein didn’t specify which factories were employing children or how many were discovered.
In 2022, the company moved its headquarters from China to Singapore for regulatory, international expansion, and financial reasons – while keeping its supply chains and warehouses in China.
In 2022, Shein generated US$24 billion in revenue, a sum almost as large as established retailers Zara and H&M. It was valued at $100 billion after a funding round in April 2022.
Shein exists largely online, where influencers post haul videos to promote the brand, raving about its “affordability.” As the company has strengthened its foothold in the US, it has tried to shed some of its negative public image by recruiting influencers to tour factories in China and hosting in-person popup events open to the public.
But the Amazon competitor has struggled to fend off sustained scrutiny on its business practices.
This week US authorities have called for an investigation into reports that Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu are selling “deadly baby and toddler products” on their websites.
Two leaders of the US Consumer Products Safety Commission requested an agency probe following the reports, according to a letter posted on the US CPSC website on Tuesday.
US CPSC Commissioners Peter Feldman and Douglas Dziak want the agency to evaluate how Shein, which is now based in Singapore, plus China’s Temu and other foreign e-commerce platforms comply with its rules.
