At 6 pm, it's break time. Workers step away from their sewing machines, leaving behind piles of striped blue and white or plain mauve fabric and stacks of plastic bags stamped with Shein's logo, which will be sent to the other side of the world. They rush down the stairs in groups of two or three. Some go to eat at the canteen set up at the foot of this eight-story building, each floor occupied by about 10 workshops working for China's fast-fashion leaders. Others prefer to get some fresh air and try different cuisines. Street vendors nearby, familiar with the daily schedules, prepare for the rush. As night falls, signs dazzle, electric scooters flow, workers are heading out for dinner and this area of Guangzhou, entirely dedicated to the textile industry, exudes a vibrant atmosphere.

Dong chose to return to her dormitory, a five-minute walk away, to rest a bit. In Hezhou, her family's hometown, 300 kilometers from here, in the Guangxi region, job opportunities are very limited. So, at 18, she moved to Guangzhou with her older sister, who had already found work there. She is now 21. Dressed in a blue blouse over a white tank top, with bleached hair tips, she smiled and didn't complain, but admitted that the days are long and the pace is exhausting: "I'm tired, but if I didn't tire myself out, I wouldn't make a living, because I don't have any very specific skills." Her job is to fold clothes and put them into the brand's bags. Her days start at 8 am, she gets a lunch break from noon to 1 pm, another from 6 pm to 7 pm for dinner, then goes back to work for three hours in the evening, until 10 pm. That makes for a 12-hour day. In some workshops, they work six days a week, but Dong hasn't had a day off this month. She earns between 6,000 to 7,000 yuan per month, approximately €735 to €860.

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