Online retailers Shein and Temu are facing heightened scrutiny in the United States as senior political figures call for an investigation and wider probes into alleged forced labour, unsafe materials and intellectual property (IP) theft.
In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened a state-level investigation into Shein over claims involving forced labour and the use of hazardous materials.
At national level, Senator Tom Cotton has urged a federal inquiry into possible IP theft by both Shein and Temu, referring to them as “Communist Chinese” platforms.
Shein said it takes concerns about its practices seriously, adding: “We welcome constructive engagement with Attorney General Paxton.” The company said it would co-operate with the inquiry but did not respond directly to Cotton’s call for a federal probe. Temu did not immediately comment.
Although headquartered in Singapore, Shein sources most of its products from China, where it was originally founded.
In a letter sent on Monday to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Cotton- a senior Republican from Arkansas- highlighted that millions of packages from China are now stranded in US warehouses following a rule change in August affecting low-cost imports.
President Donald Trump abolished the longstanding de minimis rule, a global tariff exemption for low-value goods. This move imposed new levies and stricter customs checks, which Cotton argues gives the Department of Justice and Homeland Security a “golden opportunity” to act.
Cotton said American designers and small brands accuse Shein of systematically copying their creations- often within days of release- and selling them at a fraction of the price. He also claimed Temu hosts “sophisticated and deceptive fakes” for its hundreds of millions of users. A recent US investigation reportedly found that many items bought from Shein and Temu were likely counterfeit.
Separately, Paxton said multiple reports have raised serious concerns about Shein’s alleged reliance on forced labour, the presence of unsafe materials in its products and potentially deceptive marketing. The brand has long faced questions about the environmental impact of fast fashion and the conditions under which its products are made.
Paxton’s inquiry will assess whether Shein has violated Texas law by using hazardous materials and misleading consumers about ethical sourcing. It will also examine the company’s data collection practices.
“I will not allow cheap, dangerous, foreign goods to flood America and jeopardise our health,” he wrote online.
Beyond the Shein investigation in the US, the company is also under pressure in Europe, where the EU has asked Shein to curb the sale of childlike sex dolls and weapons on its third-party marketplace after concerns raised by French authorities. Temu is likewise being investigated in France over harmful content accessible to young users.
Paxton, a close ally of Donald Trump, as is Cotton, has also sued Roblox, accusing the gaming platform of ignoring safety laws and deceiving parents about risks to young gamers. Roblox has denied the allegations, calling them “misrepresentations” of its platform.
Also read: Opinion: What we should learn from SHEIN ban in France
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