All posts tagged: Everlane

Shein Buying Everlane Actually Makes Perfect Sense

Shein Buying Everlane Actually Makes Perfect Sense

Published by skeptic

On Friday, the ultrafast-fashion giant Shein finalized its acquisition of Everlane, a US clothing retailer that made its name by promising “radical transparency” into how its clothes were made. Neither company disclosed the price of the deal, but Puck reported last weekend that it clocked in at $100 million. Founded in 2010, Everlane became synonymous with a certain strain of millennial consumerism that was supposed to be the exact opposite of Shein. It mainly sold elevated basics, and told a generation of anxious and high-minded shoppers that they could feel morally good about buying yet another pair of plain ballet flats or black high-waisted skinny jeans. Shein, by contrast, became notorious by flooding the internet with astonishingly cheap, trendy clothing produced at enormous scale. It has been criticized for years for alleged poor labor practices. Given how differently Shein and Everlane positioned themselves, many people online felt the acquisition fell somewhere between darkly ironic and outright dystopian. The fashion writer Derek Guy, better known online as the “menswear guy,” articulated the vibe in a post …

Everlane Sold to Shein. Was It Ever Going to Make Fashion Better?

Everlane Sold to Shein. Was It Ever Going to Make Fashion Better?

Published by Jenni Sidey

At the same time, I think it’s fair to ask if consumers have become more cynical about the idea that fashion companies can sell them “sustainable” products, and I think that cynicism is earned because of the exaggerated claims of the industry. Can you elaborate on those exaggerated claims? [There is] the absence of standards for what constitutes a sustainable garment, the challenges that [sustainable business non-profit] Cascale or [sustainability data platform] Worldly had with their calculations of what constitutes a sustainable garment, the overselling by the industry of targets for decarbonization that weren’t ultimately achievable, and the pullback now in investment by many companies in their sustainability teams. What is causing the pullback of investment in sustainability teams? It depends on a company by company basis, because some companies are probably accelerating their spend as others are pulling back. But in general the environment, especially in the United States, has become less conducive to investing in sustainability for a number of reasons: (1) the current administration’s disdain for science and the environment; (2) the …

I believed sustainable fashion’s hype. But between Everlane and Allbirds, the letdowns keep coming | Fashion

I believed sustainable fashion’s hype. But between Everlane and Allbirds, the letdowns keep coming | Fashion

Published by Sam Flores

It was always about the money, wasn’t it? For a while there, it seemed like the execs opining sustainability is not a trend, it’s the future actually meant it. But when yet another global brand drops its net zero goals or stops talking about DEI, you do wonder. Recent headlines include Stella McCartney adulterating her eco gloss with a sustainable capsule collection for H&M – don’t worry, she’s just “infiltrating from within” – and Lululemon being investigated for Pfas. The letdowns keep coming. Now the internet is reeling from a report that Shein plans to acquire Everlane, the San Francisco-based sustainable basics brand built on “radical transparency”. Shein is the Chinese ultra-fast fashion giant epitomising murky supply chains and crazy-cheap landfill fashion. They release up to 10,000 styles a day, and have been making headlines of their own over secrecy and alleged links to forced Uyghur labour. Fashion reporter Lauren Sherman reported the acquisition plans this week, though neither Shein nor Everlane have confirmed. Everlane appears to be losing money fast. After layoffs in 2020 …

Everlane sold itself as the ethical alternative to fast fashion. Then Shein came calling

Everlane sold itself as the ethical alternative to fast fashion. Then Shein came calling

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more In a deal that has been likened to “SeaWorld buying PETA,” Shein — the Chinese ultra-fast-fashion giant synonymous with cheap, mass-produced clothing — has reportedly acquired sustainable apparel brand Everlane for $100 million. The irony is hard to ignore: Everlane built its reputation as the ethical antidote to fast fashion, while Shein has faced years of criticism over its labor practices, environmental impact and relentless production model. The gulf between the two brands’ identities is so vast that one bewildered onlooker asked: “Which Black Mirror episode is this?” As of Monday, Everlane’s website still proudly promotes its sustainability commitments, pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It’s an ethos the brand has stood by since its founding in San …

Everlane, Shein, and the Limits of the Ethical Consumer

Everlane, Shein, and the Limits of the Ethical Consumer

Published by Daniella Wilson

A decade or so ago, pairing Everlane kick-crop jeans with the brand’s almond-toe Modern Loafer and a crewneck sweater was a quintessential Millennial city-girl uniform: minimalist, boring, and, most important, vaguely ethical. The San Francisco–based fashion start-up was founded in the early 2010s on the premise of “radical transparency.” It told consumers about the factory where their shirt was made and the cost to produce it, down to the labor and markup, which it said was a fraction of the markup of other retailers. It was a brand built on the belief that globalization could work for everyone, and that anybody could shop with their values. But now Everlane is in bad shape. It’s $90 million in debt, behind on rent, and facing eviction at its headquarters. This week, Puck reported that the company has found a buyer that seems antithetical to the values it once said it held: Shein, the online fast-fashion behemoth synonymous with overconsumption and workplace abuses such as child labor. Shein, in response to allegations of poor conditions over the years, …

Everlane — clothing company prided on sustainability — reportedly acquired by Shein

Everlane — clothing company prided on sustainability — reportedly acquired by Shein

Published by Daniella Wilson

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Fast-fashion company Shein is reportedly set to take over Everlane, an apparel brand known for its high-quality fabric and radical transparency. According to a Sunday report shared by Puck News, Everlane is being sold to Shein by the sustainable fashion brand’s majority owner, L Catterton, for $100 million. Sources told the publication that the deal was approved Saturday. Any holders of Everlane’s common stock are not expected to receive a payout. Specific details of the deal, including whether preferred shareholders would be compensated in cash or shares of Shein, remain unclear. The Independent has contacted Shein and L Catterton for comment. According to Puck News, Everlane has reportedly been carrying around $90 million in debt, with CEO Alfred Chang said to have been seeking investors to help manage it as recently as March. The $100 million purchase comes amid …