Ultra-fast fashion: who is really paying the price?

The rise and rise of online retailers has hit an all-time high – with the likes of Temu and Shein dominating consumption worldwide.

New research has revealed over the course of three months, one in four New Zealanders surveyed purchased products from ultra-fast fashion retailer Temu. A further 14% of Kiwis are estimated to have recently purchased from Shein.

The stats keep coming: Tearfund’s 2021 Ethical Fashion Report found in 2019 that 40% of clothes imported into New Zealand could be made using forced and child labour. It’s all while one study found garments were thrown out after no more than 10 wearings.

So, when it comes to t-shirts and dresses being sold as low as $6 – who is really paying the price?

Today on The Front Page, Tearfund head of advocacy Claire Gray joins us to discuss.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

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