Ultra-fast fashion retailer Shein recently showcased over 60 innovative sewing and garment production tools during its second Tools Day event, held at the Centre for Innovation in Garment Manufacturing (CIGM). This event provided an opportunity for third-party suppliers to explore a variety of technical tools aimed at improving manufacturing efficiency and garment quality.
Attendees experienced live demonstrations and a virtual tour, engaging with numerous innovations designed to tackle the common challenges faced in the production of fashion apparel. Among the standout tools was the ‘Beaded Embroidery Seam Presser Foot,’ engineered to gently shift beads aside, enabling the sewing needle to pass seamlessly through them. Also featured was the ‘Bead Breaking Attachment,’ which includes a mechanism to break the beads and a system that removes the fragmented pieces, allowing for automated bead detachment along seam lines.
According to Shein, these two tools work in tandem to automate the bead removal process, maintaining the integrity of the fabric and minimizing the need for skilled manual intervention when working with embellished materials. Since their introduction in 2024, over 900 units have been deployed across supplier factories in Shein’s supply chain.
The event also highlighted seven new tools introduced in 2025, including those intended to simplify the application of lace and webbing embellishments, such as the ‘Adjustable Flatbed Webbing Puller’ and the ‘Four-Thread Overlock Lace Tape Presser Foot.’ These advancements have reportedly allowed suppliers to reduce manual labor by as much as 80% in certain production stages.
Since CIGM was established in 2023, Shein has developed more than 170 unique tools and has provided nearly 6,000 units to its suppliers for a nominal fee. The integration of these tools has significantly reduced manual labor requirements during specific phases of production.
Wang Feng, a supplier of evening gowns for Shein, remarked, “In the past, when we encountered styles with complex processes, we were often at a loss because there were no suitable solutions available on the market. Now, whenever we face a technical issue, Shein’s professional team responds immediately. They tailor tools for us, provide step-by-step instructional videos, and even send engineers to our factory to ensure the problem is truly solved.”
Beyond tool development, Shein’s CIGM is committed to enhancing supplier capabilities through vocational training and technical certification programs. In 2024 alone, the centre hosted 69 training sessions for over 1,200 participants from more than 1,000 suppliers. Additionally, 97 technical certification courses were conducted, resulting in more than 1,750 participants earning certificates in areas such as quality inspection and assurance.
The CIGM also offers strategic guidance to suppliers regarding factory site selection, layout planning, and facility design, further contributing to improved operational efficiencies.
