Influencer Slammed For Going On Shein Sponsored Trip And Spreading "Propaganda" About The Working Conditions

A model and influencer named Dani has come under fire for reportedly spreading "propaganda," according to some TikTokers. Earlier this past week, the social media personality uploaded a video of her sponsored trip to Shein, giving the company beaming reviews for their so-called work ethics. She's since turned off the comments on her Instagram post following the backlash.

"This China trip has been one of the most life-changing trips of my life," she says. "Getting to see the whole process of Shein clothing from beginning to end with my own eyes was so important for me."

She adds, "I was really excited and impressed to see the working conditions." The video shows clean facilities with numerous men and women working on production lines. She visits the innovation center as well, which features high-tech equipment.

Dani jokes that she's an investigative journalist and thus asks one of the Shein employees some questions. "Shein is just such a developed and complex company, and it was so beautiful to see firsthand. I was able to interview a woman that worked in the fabric-cutting department, and you guys know me, she's an investigative journalist. So I asked her all of our questions, and she answered them honestly and authentically."

"She was very surprised at all of the rumors that had been spread in the U.S.," Dani explains. "She told me about her family, her lifestyle, her commute, her hours. Our last stop was to the Shein warehouse, this place was massive." The warehouse in the clip was nearly 84 acres and ran by automation. Dani says she was impressed by the "extensive checklist" each product had to go through before getting shipped off.

"I think my biggest takeaway from this trip is to be an independent thinker," Dani adds. "Get the facts and see it with your own two eyes. There's a narrative fed to the U.S., and I'm one that always likes to be open-minded and seek the truth. So I'm grateful for that about myself, and I hope the same for you guys."

One TikToker did not hold back on her opinion of Dani's positive review. "Shein hosts an influencer's trip at a factory in China," says Melissa, "And it's the biggest load of propaganda crap."

"The fact that this influencer has obviously been paid to say these things. I feel as though she's almost gaslighting the viewer," she adds. "Ultimately, she's saying, 'If you believe this narrative, these rumors, then you're not an independent thinker, you just believe in the rumors.' It really grinds my gears. But she clearly made a bag, so."

It seems like Shein is trying their best to clear their name on TikTok. Last year, the company came under fire after a woman reportedly received unsettling messages on Shein merchandise that read, "Please help me" and "Need your help."

Iman Amrani, an investigative journalist, found the shocking truth in a Shein factory after sending an undercover woman named Mei to work at the facility. She discovered that it was mostly women who were affected by these fast-fashion industries. Mei posed as an employee at two separate factories and learned that people worked up to 18 hours a day, which is illegal in China. "People who are working in these factories that provide clothes to Shein are getting paid less than 4 cents per item that they produce," explains Amrani, "and they have to produce these high volumes of clothes in order to keep up with the churn on the website."

According to the journalist, if you make a mistake on one of these items, you'll be "docked" about $14, which is nearly two-thirds of what the workers earn in a day. Besides the working conditions of these factories, Shein clothing is known to have an unsafe amount of lead in its items. In 2021, a CBC Marketplace investigation found that one in every five items of children's and adults' clothing and accessories from fast-fashion brands contained "elevated levels of chemicals – including lead, PFAs, and phthalates – that experts found concerning."

This backlash on the influencer trip shows us that an increasing number of women are consciously opting out of fast-fashion brands. They're driven by a collective desire to no longer support the harsh working conditions and unfair labor wages. Instead of opting for immediate gratification, they prioritize the well-being of people who are being taken advantage of. We still have a long way to go, though – Shein has seen $22.7 billion in revenue, according to reports in 2023. Still, by teaching others about conscious buying, women can reclaim their agency as customers and choose to support businesses that align with their values.

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