As fast fashion juggernaut Shein purportedly prepares for its expected initial public offering, state attorney generals have asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to review the company’s labor practices before it goes public.
Elected officials from 16 U.S. states sent a letter to SEC Chair Chair Gary Gensler last Thursday urging that Shein must independently verify that it follows U.S. labor law ahead of its IPO.
Shein has been accused of human rights abuses in its manufacturing facilities, evading U.S. tariffs and using cotton from banned regions.
“An IPO of this magnitude – involving a foreign-owned company that is facing credible concerns about its core business practice – cannot move forward on self-certification alone,” wrote Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen.