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.
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.
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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.
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.
The company said at the time: "While these are significantly less than claimed in the documentary, they are still higher than local regulations permit."
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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."
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?!"
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.
Topics: China, Environment, Fashion, Instagram, News, Social Media, TikTok, Twitter