Claire Gray: Tearfund education and advocacy manager on the dark sides of ultra-fast fashion amid Temu's popularity

Tearfund is raising concerns about how many New Zealanders are shopping on ultra-fast fashion websites - and the hidden costs that come with lower prices.

New reports show one in four adults have recently shopped on Temu and around 14 percent have shopped on Shein.

The 2024 Ethical Fashion Report gives Shein a score of 20 out of 100 - and Temu a 0. 

Tearfund's Claire Gray says many Kiwis are in a tough financial spot and will look for lower prices, but it's likely workplace exploitation runs rampant within these companies.

"Our cost of living is rising and we're faced with situations where we need to buy items, clothes or other things from places that we know may not be treating workers well in their supply chains. It's a really tough position to be in." 

Temu has released a statement responding to, and refuting the allegations of workplace exploitation.

"Temu is committed to upholding ethical, humane, and lawful business practices, as outlined in our Third-Party Code of Conduct. Our business partners and third-party merchants must comply with strict standards regarding labor, safety, and environmental protection. We reserve the right to end relationships with those who do not meet these requirements.
 
"We remain focused on building a safe, fair, and trustworthy platform for consumers and merchants.”

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chances are you or someone that you know has recently
bought something from Timu. This is this Chinese online retailer
popularities going through the roof new research from Tearfund New Zealand.
Rickons one and four of us have bought something from
Timu in the past three months. But this concern about
the ethics of buying at these ultra fast fashion retailers.
World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report out also Today's scored Temu

(00:22):
zero for failing to protect workers and environmental impacts. And
Claire Gray is Tear Funds Education and Advocacy manager and
with us. Now, hey Claire, hi heiter, how are you
we had good? Thank you you bought anything from Timu?

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yes? I have, actually, yeah, I know. I'm one of
the one million of us that have bought from Timu,
and I think it's such a good example for me.
I was buying stuff from my daughter's birthday party and
to give my daughter the party that I wanted to
give her in the budget that I had, that was
the choice I was faced with. And I think I'm

(00:57):
one of well, I know, I'm one of you know,
a million New Zealand who's made a similar choice in
that situation. You know, our cost of living is rising,
and we're faced with situations where we need to buy items,
clothes or other things from places that we know may
not be treating work as well in their supply chains,
and it's a really tough position to be in.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
So what is TEMU doing to their workers in the
supply chains?

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Well, first off, it's really hard to tell because TIMU
is really untransparent with what's happening in their supply chain,
So if you pop on their website, it's really hard
to get a good idea of how their workers are
being treated. But different investigations outside of tearfunds researchs have
shown that there seems to be extreme over time happening

(01:44):
in Timu's supply chains. So workers will be working up
to three hundred and eighty hours a month producing the
clothes that we then buy for really low cost.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
And is this against their wishes? Are they being compelled
to work these long hours?

Speaker 2 (02:00):
In some cases they are so. TIMO has also been
linked to state sanctioned force labor in China. A report
came out from US lawmakers last year that said it
was highly likely that you know, there was force labor
in the supply chain, So that's when someone doesn't have
that choice about whether they are working or not. But

(02:22):
in some cases it will be less extreme forms of exploitation.
So that would would be when we're talking about the
excess of overtime and working all of that over time
and still being stuck in a situation where you can't
provide for your family. So we're looking at the full
spectrum rarely.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Okay, So what does it tell you about the fact
that one in four of us, including yourself, have brought
something from timud despite the fact that we know that
there's probably some weird and dodgy stuff going on. Does
it make Are you demoralized by the fact that we
care more about our own money than we care about
what's happening with other people.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
I think it's quite natural in many ways.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
How do you get around that?

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Then? Well, one, I think it's helpful for us to
raise awareness. I mean, I know and my friends, you
know what I would talk about. We're talking about TIMU,
and I don't think a lot of people would have
much of an idea of the degree of exploitation that
may be happening. So I think a big piece of

(03:23):
the puzzle is raising awareness, and then the other piece
of the puzzle is acknowledging that as consumers this isn't
actually up to us to fix by ourselves. We also
need to see companies and the government addressing the issue
of exploitation and supply chains. So companies really need to

(03:43):
take responsibility for human rights abuses in their supply chains,
and we would also like to see the government legislate
to make it a legal requirement like it is in
many jurisdictions around the world for companies to do this.
And then together we're all doing our bit and making
a difference.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
Was the stuff that you got from timu any good?

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Well, my daughter loved it, buddy, So well there you go.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
Clear listen, thank you. I appreciated Clear, great education and
advocacy manager at TIA. You've got to love the fact
that Claire was completely straight up with us. Mad respect
for that. For more from Hither, Dupless, Yell and Drive,
listen live to news Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays,
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