A user took to the Anticonsumption subreddit, sharing a Shein product with a loaded, problematic message.
Shein, a fast-fashion company, is known for overproducing low-quality clothes and other goods. Most of its products are made with cheap plastic materials like nylon, polyester, and other synthetic fabrics. The excessive amount of clothes it makes — which do not last due to their adherence to fleeting trends, as well as their poor quality — contributes to textile waste and often ends up in landfills, polluting the environment.
The post, which was captioned "Shein advert highlighting the effects of microplastics on a product made from polyester," is accompanied by a photo of the shirt: a black tee with a screen-printed cat and text that reads "I have microplastics in my balls."
While the shirt seems to be making light of microplastic issues, studies have shown that these small plastic particles are found in our bodies — yes, including the testes — and their ability to harm is becoming stark. A February study even linked microplastics in the brain with cognitive diseases. The nonstop production of these cheap products only continues to pump this harmful byproduct into our world.
The OP further explained, "From a brand that's business model is pumping out billions of products made from polyester… This is f****** insane. Maybe one day this will be used in a court case against them to show they are aware of the damage their products cause."
While the plastic waste fast-fashion brands produce is startling, consumers can alter their shopping habits to mitigate the dire effects. For instance, shopping secondhand gives clothes an exponentially longer life, and the landfills where these clothes are headed won't pile up so quickly.
Commenters on the post acknowledged the irony of the shirt, though whatever humor was intended did not register.
One commenter said, "I feel like if I made this same shirt myself the irony would land better."
A more enraged user commented, "I have never shopped with them, and never will."
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