• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Influencers slammed for promoting Shein's 'innovation factory' in China

Home> News

Updated 20:33 26 Jun 2023 GMT+1Published 20:28 26 Jun 2023 GMT+1

Influencers slammed for promoting Shein's 'innovation factory' in China

The influencers have come under fire for their partnership with the fast-fashion company

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle

Influencers are being slammed for promoting Shein's 'innovation factory' in China.

A group of six influencers are being called out after taking to their various social media platforms to share videos from their paid trip to a factory owned by the controversial fast-fashion retailer, Shein.

The influencers were flown out to the clothing factory in Guangzhou, China, and have since come under fire for 'promoting' the brand which has previously been accused of many human rights abuses.

Advert

Influencers were sent on a tour inside Shein's 'innovation factory'.
TikTok/@shein_us

Shein, once accused of labor abuse, has previously admitted that working hour regulations were breached following an independent investigation into its factory working practices and environmental impact last year.

Channel 4 sent in an undercover worker to film inside two of the online fashion retailer's factories in Guangzhou and found that workers received a base salary of just 4k yuan per month (approximately £434).

Each worker was required produce 500 pieces of clothing every single day.

Advert

Not only was the pay abysmal, especially considering the sheer amount of work done by the workers, but the investigation also found workers in both factories were regularly working up to 18-hour days and were only given one day off a month.

Shein later conducted an independent investigation into the matter and declared that staff at one factory were working up to 13-and-a-half hour days with two to three days off a month with workers at the other location working up to 12-and-a-half hour days with no fixed structure for days off.

One of the influencers 'confidence activist' Dani Carbonari.
TikTok/@shein_us

The company said at the time: "While these are significantly less than claimed in the documentary, they are still higher than local regulations permit."

Advert

The company went to promise to invest $15m (£11.8m) to improve standards at its various factories.

Since then, Shein has sent a group of six fashion influencers from the United States for a tour of its 'innovation factory'.

One of the influencers, 'confidence activist' Dani Carbonari, who went on the trip to Guangzhou posted a video tour of the excursion to social media last week.

Carbonari was later slammed with a load of criticism and has seemingly deleted the post since.

Advert

In the original upload, she told her followers what she thought of the trip to the Shein factory, explaining that it allowed her the opportunity to see with her 'own two eyes what the entire process of Shein clothing looks like from beginning to end'.

She continued: "I feel more confident than ever with my partnership with Shein.

"There are so many companies not taking half the initiative Shein is. They are aware of every single rumour and instead of staying quiet they are fighting with all of their power to not only show us the truth but continue to improve and be the best they can possibly be."

The other influencers included; lifestyle influencer Destene Sudduth, wellness advocate Aujené, Shein X designers Fernanda Stephany Campuzano and Kenya Freeman as well as digital creator Marina Saavedra.

Advert

Shein also uploaded a video of the trip to TikTok with footage showing staff working in a bright, clean factory with automated machines that assisted with certain tasks.

They captioned the post: "Get a glimpse of the process of how your purchases are packaged directly from our facility and delivered to your doorstep.

"Watch as our partners discover the cutting-edge tech that streamlines our operations and receive a hands-on experience in packaging."

In the TikTok, Sudduth said: “I liked the experience because it was real. You know, it wasn’t just like we got pictures or videos of these warehouses or facilities. We were actually there.”

Aujené also revealed: “There were so many things answered for me along this journey.”

Viewers, however, were not at all convinced with many slamming the influencers for allegedly using a similar 'script' for their posts.

On Twitter, one person wrote: "Shein is sending the influencer girlies to China to some (PR) 'innovation' factory where it looks pristine and super clean and the workers are having fun while sewing and the company saying they pay a 'competitive' wage lol."

People have slammed the influencers for promoting the brand.
Twitter/@LindseyCreated

A second posted: "They’re so trash for this, influencers included. I need to know how much that check was. Because the integrity is not there!"

While a third added: "The funniest part of the Shein debacle to me is the influencers acting like they went undercover to investigate. You were invited, of course, it’s PR."

"The fact SHEIN even did a press trip with influencers to one of its factories is a red flag," said a final social media user. "Like if everything was a-ok why would they even do the trip?!"

Many have taken to social media to call the influencers out.
Twitter/@duchesskk

A Shein spokesperson told UNILAD: "Shein is committed to transparency and this trip reflects one way in which we are listening to feedback, providing an opportunity to show a group of influencers how Shein works through a visit to our innovation center and enabling them to share their own insights with their followers.

"Their social media videos and commentary are authentic, and we respect and stand by each influencer’s perspective and voice on their experience.

"We look forward to continuing to provide more transparency around our on-demand business model and operations."

UNILAD has also reached out to the representatives of Dani Carbonari, Destene Sudduth, Aujené, Fernanda Stephany Campuzano, Kenya Freeman and Marina Saavedra for comment.

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@shein_us

Topics: China, Environment, Fashion, Instagram, News, Social Media, TikTok, Twitter

Rhiannon Ingle
Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Trump slammed for 'disgusting' comments when asked about Joe Biden's 'aggressive' cancer diagnosis
  • Huge ancient forest world discovered 630ft down sinkhole in China
  • China is digging a 36,418 foot deep hole into the Earth for one very specific reason
  • Donald Trump Jr. slammed for 'vile' statement following Joe Biden's 'aggressive' cancer diagnosis

Choose your content:

16 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • 16 mins ago

    Shocking simulation shows what happens to your body when you fast for 36 hours and the extreme impact

    The jaw-dropping YouTube clip shows how just four hours of not eating can cause a major impact

    News
  • an hour ago

    Private investigator reveals surprising household item can prove someone is cheating

    The expert claimed his ex-client used the crafty method to reveal her husband's infidelity

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Urgent warning to billions of Gmail users over dangerous 'no-reply' attack

    Recently received an email from '[email protected]'?

    Technology
  • 3 hours ago

    Doctors say this one drink can lower your risk of developing cancer

    The drink can be easily implemented into your diet

    News