>> welme to global 3000! a refuge from global warming? why duluth in the north of the usa is considered a “climate haven.” giving a new life to surplus fabric. a start-up in thailand that's bringing sustainable solutions to the clothing industry. but first, we look at how responsible clothes production is still the exception to the rule. at chinese fashion giant shein, overproduction and splus stock are “part and parcel” of the system

>> hey guys, if you've been anywhere near tiktok lately, you've probably seen a lot of this. >> the shein package i have been waiting for arrived. so let's open it. and it's really heavy... soooo” >> welcome to the world of... >> shine? yeah, i don't ink it's sne. she-in is how i tend to pronounce it. >> shein isn't just fast fashion it's ultra-fast. you can get dresses for 5 euros. bags for 6, or corsets for 3. if you want a nose ring for 75 cents, this is your jam. >> gen z has gone bananas for the company, which exists pretty much entirely on social medi has no phical stores, and whose operations are more or less a huge black box. >> we took a dive into this fast-fashion phenomenon and what it bodes for the environment. in an era of growing climate consciousness, how is this even happening? >> honestly, i didn't even know about shein until we did this

story. but then again, i'm a millennial, and i've had this jacket since 2002. >> so i went to the center of berlin to see if shoppers here knew better than i did. >> beina: do you know what shein is? >> no. nein. >> yes, of course. it's a big online fashion store. >> beina: do you shop there? >> sometimes, yeah, there's nice stuff. it's cheap, nice fabric. >> i think i've shopped there once. i wanted to return everything, but there's not really any point when you pay like, 20 euros. >> shein mostly targets young women. it adds thousands of new things to its inventory every day. at any one time, it has as many as 600,000 products. with a typical price tag between 8 and 30 dollars, its astuff can be half as cheap asy as 60other fastucts. fashion giants. >> and what is different is that the explosion of young people with phones - it helped with product discovery. >> this is sucharita kodali, an expert at all things e-commerce, and parent of two gen z girls. >> shein's also, from my understanding, paid quite a bit

for marketing. >> its social media strategy centers around getting celebrities and influencers to market the brand on social media. katy perry, lil nas x, rita ora, storm reid and yara shahidi have all gotten on the shein train. >> please, don't forget to buy your shein in-together t-shirt.” >> thanks so much for tuning in to the shein in-together event...” >> but the biggest part of its online presence has to do with the haul. on tiktok, users post reels that show off what they ordered, and what they got. a lot of these go viral, creating a marketing campaign that basically runs itself. >> “i bought 2,000 dollars' worth of stuff and this is my box.” >> >> the beaded choker looks pretty good though, it's not that bad, i get like...” >> so you have this very addictive algorithm, influencers and young women. >> maxine bedat is the go-to expert on the fashion and garment industry. >> it's a very impressionable age where they want to fit in, and clothing companies have forever utilized tt insecurity to drive a lot of sales.

but never to the extreme that we're now seeing. >> the shein hashtag on tiktok has 17views. its instagram account has over 22 million followers. >> this year, it was the no.1 shopping app in 56 countries. it reportedly made $10 billion in revenue last year, which means it catching up fast to giants like h&m and zara. shein has dominated fast fashion in the west. but its headquarters? they're halfway across the globe, in guangzhou, china. and what happens there well, nobody really knows. >> they're very secretive. they don't talk to anybody, so it's very hard to know exactly what they're doing. >> usually, fast fashion companies take a month to get an item from design to store. but analysts say shein cuts that time to as little as week. >> it uses powerful algorithms to predict trends, and sometimes doesn't even start manufacturing until the order is placed. >> there is no magic formula. the only way you get cheap product is not ping workers and flouting any environmental

standards. >> they have to hire a lotf tempary workers and they have to subcontract it to other small factories and house workshops. >> wu peiyue is one of the only journalists who went to shein's production sites in guangzhou to investigate their labor practices. >> she found a disparate web of crowded workshops underpaying people without official contracts. >> it's not that shein has child labor, or shein has abused their workers. buts are not in the social welfare system. >> this means workers have no rights or guarantees. the demand for cheaper, faster clothing means that wagein the industry have tcompetitive.remain >> it's not only about she, but it's more a social issue, prevailing in the whole society. >> and as it turns out, the company's been making headlines for its secrecy. the fashion transparency index, which rates companies on how

open they are about their supply chains, listed shein at the bottom of its rankings. >> and what about the clothes themselves? if it's too good to be true, then it probably is. >> you cannot have a business model like that and operate in any way with respect to the planet or its people. you just can't. >> plenty of people have taken to social media to protest the shoddy quality of its clothes. >> i thought it was just the swimsuits that were gonna be trash....ummmm.... >> i am so disappointed. this is a piece of crap! >> so if it's that disposable, it means they're all getting dumped somewhere. almost 100 million tons of textiles end up in landfills every year that's 500 ever given ships...remember the thing that got stuck ithe suez canal? most of it goes to the global south, where locals suffer the environmental consequences. and did you know that the fashion industry is responsible for 8 to 10 %of greenhouse gas emissions? the garment industry is so unregulated that it's hard to say just how much it's contributing to climate change.

all we can say is that shein is accelerating it like never before. >> it's a very energy intensive process to create textiles. the production is happening in places like principally china, which continues to have a coal-based energy grid. >> but it doesn't seem to be owing down anytime soon. the average consumer today buys 60 percent more clothing than they did in 2000. brands are now throwing double the amount of clothing collections at us. >> and shein takes this to a whole new level. it taps into the insatiable consumerism that's shaped our world the need to possess things, and when we're sick of it, to simply throw it away. i asked some young shoppers whether they thought about climate change. >> not really....i just buy it. >> nope. honestly, really no. >> i care really a lot. i pay for good meat...and regional products.

>> beina: and what about clothing? nothing changed yet. >> why not? >> low budget. >> we're all students, so we're pretty low on the funds...but when i get a real job, one day i'll wanna be more aware. >> why would i pay more when i can have something else for less? >> girl's got a point. not everyone can afford to think about sustainability. the rise of shein might be breaking a myth we have about the next generation's climate commitment. >> it is a very tall order to ask young people to do the right thing when the messaging is so intense to do something different. >> when you actually look at the data - kids like 18 to 24 are more environmentally conscious and savvy, but it's actually lower than people who are like 25 to 35. and it's not just kids. i can't just blame kids. i think legislators will step up and make the rules

necessary, but that takes people's participation. i've seen that humans have a capacity to really put their heads in the sand. how do you bring those people in in a way that's engaging and not judgmental? )) >> pratunam market in downtown bangkok boasts a seemingly infinite range of shirts, pants and dresses (for shoppers to choose from). (like elsewhere in the world), the production of each item on sale here creates excess fabric and this often ends up in the trash. appalled by the needless waste, one young entrepreneur decided to turn surplus material from a problem into a solution. this episode of global ideas looks at her sustainable fashion business: >> bags full of fabric that's like new, but surplus. too little to create a new collection, but too valuable to shred. the storeroom of thamonwan

virodchaiyan's garment factory is jam-packed with them. overproduction is just part of the business model. >> every time that we order the fabric for each particular order, we have to always order an extra percentage, just to be sure that we have enough fabric if a defects happens or if a buyer decides to change some quantity or size. then we have enough to cover the whole quantity.” >> the young entrepreneur can't do much to change that. still, for years, she looked for ways to solve her surplus fabric problem. then, five years ago friends introduced her to financial manager amorpol huvanandana a man with a mission. >> i wanted to make a change in terms of waste management.

and, given that we are in the digital age, i think the best way to now manage the waste and to make it into a scalable business is through the internet.” >> in 2018, in bangkok, they founded “moreloop” -- an online platform for fabric remnants. a simple yet clever concept. >> we are like the airbnb for surplus fabric. so this quality fabric, we would source them from different warehouses, and they would give us the data of their fabric and a sample. and then we basically put these onto the internet, so that people can come and browse, and shop online.” but the business got off to a rocky start. few believed anyone could produce quality fashions from fabric remnants. after four months the founders were ready to throw in the towel. but then they had the bright idea of creating their own collection.

>> >> when we produce into a t-shirt then it's easier to them to have a sense of quality, when they wear it when they touch it.” >> they showed off their t-shirts at a trade show -- and sold out in just two days. from then on, things went quickly. at first, just five factories sold their surplus fabric to moreloop. now more than 70 textile producers enter remnants into the database. the selection is large enough to attract corporate clients. moreloop now produces tailor-made products for 150 companies -- like insurance firm allianz. >> i think it makes sense. instead of producing the new fabric, why don't we just use whatever's already available? and that's good, because it means you also help all the factories in the country as well.” she's ordered 18-thousand polo shirts, masks and baseball caps -- all with

the same design. that's a big challenge for the startup. >> we have to mix and match with many different types and shapes of fabric, because the quantity is too big and one leftover fabric could not serve the quantity.” >> yet major clients overlook these little differences to show their green cred. as an additional service, moreloop calculates how much co2 they've saved -- depending on the color, weave and production method of the chosen material. >> the short- term goal is, by 2024, we would like to prevent 1 mio kg of co2 emissions through our process. right now, we have done about 50 %in the past 3 years, so we have another 50 %to go.”

>> but it's not just big companies who make purchases over moreloop. so does young designer tayida ounburanawan (tah-yee-dah on-boo-ra-na-wan). all the bags and clothes the batik artist creates for her label marionsiam (ma-ree-on-see-am) are one-of-a-kind. she adapts her ideas to the materials -- not the other way around. >> batik is a technique that allows t wax to seep into the fabric; so if the fabric is too thick, then it'll be hard to draw on the fabric with wax. so that is a limitation of batik art. i have to take a sample of the fabric to test out if the technique will work or not. >> moreloop's founders only realized these special needs after paying the artist a visit. they're keen to cooperate with designers like tayida ounburanawan so they can present her pieces at international fashion shows.

and, for the designer, the idea of upcycling is a big plus. >> it's more like giving new life to unused fabric, so it doesn't feel like second-hand fabric -- and the customers feel the same. it is just repurposing and giving more value to the fabric.” >> it's a win-win situation. to date, moreloop has saved some 500 tons of carbon dioxide -- the equivalent of the co2 emitted during 5 million kilometers of car travel. but that's still not enough to satisfy its founders. >> we want to be the part of the global transition to a circular economy. we want to play that part and we want to be a part of making

this new economy a reality.” >> their long-term goal is to keep growing and get 500 textile firms putting fabric into the 'moreloop'. and they plan to offer more of their own products, along with t-shirts, masks and ppe. >> from wildfires to devastating storms, floods and droughts in 2020 alone, natural disasters displaced over 30 million people. and things are about to get worse. according to world bank projections through 2050, climate change could mean 216 million people are forced to leave their homes. they also warn that hotspots of internal migration are bound to emerge unless concerted and immediate action is taken to tackle global emissions. it's not just africa and southeast asia that will be seeing more and more people being forced to out of their homes.

but not everyone has the financial means to start new lives elsewhere. in the united states, a privileged minority is opting to move further north for the sake of their children a trend that is creating problems of its own... >> climate migrants in the us in 18 months ago, jamie made the decision to move her family over 3,000 km from california to the northern state of minnesota. she says she had no choice. it was either leave now or threaten her children's future. >> jamie is a us climate migrant. >> “as there was the 2018 really devastating wildfire called the camp fire, that killed i think almost a 100 people and destroyed thousands of buildings and our air quality across the bay area was hazardous quality, we couldn't leave the house for two weeks, schools were cancelled peoples fire alarms were going on inside their houses of how smoky it was, my own family had health impacts from it.” >> the family now lives in duluth, almost at the border with

canada. jamie herself works as a director of a climate organization and was very aware that there would be a point when they didn't feel safe in san francisco. >> “even i who am very kind of climate alarmed, i would say, even i was surprised how quickly thing unfolded and how quickly it felt like moving was the best option for us.” >> scientists have mapped out the places that will be most vulnerable to the climate crisis. this is what brings the story back to duluth. this small city's not only well located, but it also sits on the western edge of lake superior. these factors make duluth a magnet for climate migrants from across the us.

>> the ones who have actually come here and moved or invested have been north carolina, california and utah, is another couple that i'm working with right now. >> realtor and longtime resident karen pagel guerndt says she's seen a growing trend of people calling her looking for a house in duluth. but one thing is clear: climate migration is a choice only affordable to the wealthiest in society. jalonne white-newsome is climate justice advocate whose work focuses on the inequality within the climate crisis. >> so this is the reality. when you don't have the means or the resources or a family to stay with, if your home is disrupted by flooding or wildfire or any extreme weather event that we are going to see more frequently, your kind of lost. >> the inequality of this trend not only exists in the

locations where climate migrants are leaving, but also in places where they are arriving. in duluth, ecolibrium3 works to balance climate solutions with social justice. former science teacher jodi slick founded it 10 years ago. >> so the more people come to the community, especially if they have more wealth, that tightens that markets for those who are already here and when we think about things like home ownership, there's huge gaps between our indigenous population and our black population, and we're not gonna narrow those gaps unless we are really proactive in this era of climate migration. >> one of america's rust belt cities, duluth was declared almost dead after industrial decline. >> the mayor is ready to seize the opportunity of more people coming to duluth but accepts there will be challenges.

>> i think the danger is in two things, one is to ignore it and not be planful about it, because whether i like it, whether it's comfortable, it's happening so we want to be planful about it and to make sure that as a city we are responding to that. i think it would be dangerous to ignore it or to pretend it's not happening. i also think it would be dangerous to not pay attention now to the needs that are already here and to just chase that growth. >> the city is home to a deep rooted community that is mostly proud to live there. they welcome new people - but also have mixed feelings when it comes to climate migration. >> certainly, as long as they were the right people. it's really expensive to find a house right now, there's a lot of people moving from out of state to minnesota, so i can see that the scientists are pushing them here and would be

an easy thing for them to wanna do, but i think us minnesotans are definitely noticing that with higher prices on things. >> i mean i would, if i was in a place where i felt it wasn't safe, so more power to them, let them come. >> adding to the social challenges, another question arises when talking about climate migration. can there be a place that is safe from climate change? science is clear that the effects of global warming will be felt everywhere - something that jamie alexander and her family have experienced firsthand. >> our first summer here we had wildfires that minnea has never seen before in the superior national forest, that created hazardous air quality for us here. never had northern minnea seen anything like that. how foolish of us to think that we could run away from it. i worry that this climate migration conversation of which

i am a part could lead us to be complacent as we're working to keep ourselves safe and our families and communities safe, we also need to be addressing what is causing it. >> duluth's not immune from the changing climate. but it could be a blueprint for us communities preparing for a future dominated by climate migration. >> our global snack this week is from the cape verde islands. the island of sal is one of the most popular tourist destinations in cape verde: an archipelago country off the coast of west africa. at cape fruit, they're cooking up a twist on cape verde's national dish. cachupa like it's never been done before. cachupa is usually made with meat and fish. but chef lemice pereira is trying something new. >> we wanted to make something from cape verde, and since our

focus at cape fruit is on vegetarian food, we invented this.” first, she fries onions in oil. then it's time to add the cachupa mix typical ingredients found on cape verde including milled corn, beans, and chickpeas. >> since it's vegetarian we don't add fish or meat. when the clients want, it can also be made with vegetables or eggs fried, scrambled, as an omelet however they want it done.” >> i love it!” while the cachupa is frying in the pan, lemice gets a side of vegetables ready to go. her colleagues are busy serving up juices and other meals using natural foods and flavors. it's a women-owned and operated business. manager suzi has been running the show for ten years. >> we are only women. it's always women working here. right now there are six of us working here.” >> back in the

kitchen, the cachupa is ready to go and it's plating time. there are many different versions across the islands of cape verde but what unites them all: cachupa is comfort food. now, this local favorite is reaching new audiences. >> these visitors from sweden love the hearty dish with flavorful vegetables. >> mmmm it's good.” >> so you will enjoy it if you eat it, i think. it's good for the vegetarians to have options.” >> it has a lot of flavors. the savory so it goes very well.” >> a humble dish that punches above its weight: cachupa from this corner of cape verde is a modern take on an island classic. >> that's all from us this week at global 3000.

thanks for joining us. we'd love to hear your thoughts on the show, so don't forget to write to us at: hyperlink global3000@dw.com or check out our facebook page: dw global ideas. see you next time, and bye for now!

through the pros and cons of allowing its vehicles to be used. millions of south africans plunged into darkness as the country's energy crisis deepens. we look at how people are coping with the worst power cuts on record.