In the world of fast fashion, Chinese retailer Shein is almost as large as established, low-cost businesses like Zara and H&M. And like most parts of fast fashion, it’s plagued with exploitative labor practices in factories that are best described as sweatshops. Add in intellectual property theft allegations and environmental damage and it’s easy to see why fast fashion has a pretty pejorative meaning. So, naturally, they tried to use some influencer marketing to shore up their PR.
Content creator Dani DMC and a selection of other influencers were invited to visit a Shein warehouse in China. They ended up being called out online for praising its working conditions and ignoring all the well-documented cases of labor exploitation.
More info: Instagram | Twitter
Shein brought a group of influencers to tour a warehouse and make content about the company
Image credits: sheinofficial
Image credits: sheinofficial
Dani DMC made a promo video that was torn apart online for whitewashing Shein’s labor practices
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
“Next day we headed to the Shein innovation center, this facility blew my mind, it’s over 600’000 square feet, there’s so much technology.”
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
“You guys know me, she’s an investigative journalist, so I asked her all of our questions and she answered them honestly and authentically.”
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
“Shein warehouse is about 84 acres and is almost fully run by technology and automation”
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
“I was really impressed with the extensive checklist that each item had to go through before it’s shipped on. I think my biggest takeaway from this trip is to be an independent thinker, get the facts and see with your own two eyes.”
Image credits: thisisnefertiti
You can view the full video here
I was at a loss for words honestly they took her to the model unit equivalent of the sweatshops like this can’t be pic.twitter.com/aJtWcSycEh
— joe biden’s face lift (@thisisnefertiti) June 22, 2023
Commenters didn’t hold back, questioning and criticizing the “journalism” displayed by the influencers
Image credits: betafishes
Image credits: n3ave
Image credits: DanielJTuke
Image credits: gng3839
Image credits: chescaleigh
Image credits: LiszOuistiti
Image credits: MelissaKParker1
Image credits: amel_sensei
Image credits: uberbikegeek
Image credits: keybrackson
Image credits: phealthsean
Image credits: nononoel96
Image credits: Kayno910
Image credits: RialtoExp
Image credits: Nu20Beauty
Image credits: BesmaCC
Image credits: 36angstroms
Dani DMC was irritated by the criticism and posted an angry response
Image credits: daisyjasminee
i just think its funny she said “im not the one” like girl….ur getting mad over valid criticism https://t.co/3EHgj8o5gB pic.twitter.com/q6kt6rxBbS
— (@daisyjasminee) June 24, 2023
She later made another video trying to give her viewers the whole picture
Image credits: danidmc
The post “She Was Very Surprised At All The Rumors That Have Been Spreading”: Influencer Visits Shein’s Factory, Faces Major Backlash first appeared on Bored Panda.