Shein

Shein is a global online fast-fashion retailer known for ultra-low-priced apparel and accessories.

The quick read Reason for concern Reviewed Aug 24, 2026

The quick snapshot

Public concern on the record.

These are summaries, not scores. Open every receipt before deciding.

Public concern

Why people pushed back

In 2021 Shein sold a \$1.50 phone case depicting a handcuffed Black figure in chalk; it apologized and removed the item after backlash, admitting it lacked the artist’s permission. Separately, users blasted a monkey-with-banana icon used for the color black on its site.

Product pulled; apology
2021: Handcuffed Black figure phone case removedBuzzFeed News reported Shein apologized and removed a phone case depicting a handcuffed Black person outlined in chalk, sold for \$1.50. Artist Jean Jullien said the 2014 image responded to Michael Brown’s killing in Ferguson; Shein admitted it lacked permission. Company tweets called the interpretation “contrary” to the art’s meaning. Apology and removal—not a verdict.Source: BuzzFeed News ↗
Iconography backlash
Monkey-and-banana icon for “black” color optionMadameNoire reported Shein used a monkey holding a banana to represent the color black in product menus, drawing accusations of anti-Black imagery; similar criticism had surfaced before. That is public backlash over site iconography, not a lawsuit finding.Source: MadameNoire ↗

Aug 24, 2026 · The Cookout Editorial Desk

Shein put anti-Black imagery on cheap merch and menus

BLUF

Shein sold a phone case showing a handcuffed Black body in chalk outline and later used a monkey-and-banana icon for the color black—both drew backlash and apologies or removals.

What happened: Ferguson chalk phone case

In 2021 Shein sold a phone case showing a handcuffed Black body outlined in chalk. BuzzFeed News reported the company removed it and apologized after backlash, and admitted it never got permission from artist Jean Jullien, who made the image after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson.

What happened: Monkey-and-banana “black” icon

Separately, MadameNoire reported users found Shein using a monkey with a banana to mark the color black—imagery long used to demean Black people. That is a design choice and a public rebuke, not a court case.

The Cookout read

Concern. Selling Black pain as a $1.50 accessory and coding “black” as a monkey is why this file exists. Apologies after screenshots go viral are not equity programs.

Open the primary source ↗

Now / update

Where the record stands.

Last reviewed Aug 24, 2026. This is present-day status, not a new verdict.

Dated items opened here are the sourced Black-specific receipts in this file.

Last reviewed August 24, 2026.

Source file

Open the full passages.

Links may change after publication. Dates describe the event or publication listed in the record.

01
BuzzFeed News
2021: Handcuffed Black figure phone case removed · May 1, 2021
Read source ↗
02
MadameNoire
Monkey-and-banana icon for “black” color option · Apr 18, 2022
Read source ↗

Community temperature check

Boycott Shein?

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