A group of US lawmakers has called for Chinese fast fashion brand Shein to be investigated over claims that Uyghur forced labour is used to make some of the clothes it sells. In response to the letter, Shein told the BBC: "We are committed to respecting human rights and adhering to local laws and regulations in each market we operate in." "Our suppliers must adhere to a strict code of conduct that is aligned to the International Labour Organization's core conventions," it added. Human rights groups and Western governments, including the US and UK, have accused China of forced labour and internment of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority. Shein- which was founded in Nanjing, China in 2008 - is now headquartered in Singapore. It has been winning over young shoppers in the US, UK and Europe by producing fast fashion even faster, and often at cheaper prices, than many of its rivals such as Boohoo or Asos. Shein reportedly relies on thousands of third-party suppliers in China to produce batches of clothes, which it orders again if they perform well with customers. In the past, the firm has faced allegations of poor working conditions where workers allegedly worked 75-hour weeks.
