"Shein sent American influencers to China. Social media users are furious" 29 June 2023

A group of American fashion influencers and creators has received online backlash after they visited a model factory in China as part of a tour sponsored by Shein, an internet shopping giant, and posted glowing reviews.

Shein – which is known for selling trendy clothing at low prices – is among a number of companies founded in China now facing questions over a litany of issues, including how it’s able to sell goods so cheaply, how transparent it is with the public about its labor and sourcing practices and how much environmental waste it generates.

In mid June, the influencers traveled to the southern Chinese megacity of Guangzhou to see the company’s “innovation center,” a bright and spacious facility featuring high-tech fabric cutters and robots that transport materials. [...]

Kenya Freeman, a designer who has sold clothing on Shein, traveled to China and Singapore, where Shein is now based, as part of the junket and shared videos on her Instagram account.

The pushback was swift, with comments flooding in criticizing her and the other influencers’ understanding of the company’s alleged connection to human rights abuses and the environmental impact of fast fashion. The social media users questioned why the influencers would align themselves with what they claimed were unethical values or whether the facility they visited was representative of production practices. [...]

In a statement, Shein said the social media videos posted by the influencers were authentic.

“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,” it said. [...]

Dani Carbonari, a plus size influencer and model who visited Guangzhou, sought to explain in a Monday Instagram post why she joined. She said she joined the trip in order to address “rumors” plaguing the company.

She has deleted a previous Instagram post in which she had said Shein was “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.”

Posts from other influencers on the trip contained similar language. Some said they spoke to workers at the factory and that they were impressed by the conditions. [...]