Influencer deletes TikTok defending her decision to go on Shein brand trip, post glowing review of factory conditions: 'Embarrassing'
Shein sponsored four influencers on an all-expenses-paid trip to Guangzhou, China, to film a tour of one of the fast-fashion brand’s 6,000 factories. As is common with brand trips, all the creators had to do in exchange was post about it.
But what sets Shein’s brand trip apart from previous ones — like Tarte’s “infamous” Dubai trip in early 2023 — is that China-based Shein has faced serious accusations including alleged labor rights violations, falsely claiming safe labor practices and contributing to the environmental cost of fast fashion, none of which was mentioned in the creators’ posts.
Dani Carbonari, who has 481,000 followers on Instagram, is one of the influencers who went on the trip and caught flak for posting highlights of the factory tour and complimenting the brand. In an Instagram Reel uploaded on June 20, Carbonari filmed herself walking around the factory floor, talking to employees and even participating in some distribution processes.
The comments have since been turned off on her post. Carbonari has collaborated with Shein in the past, as well as a few other fast-fashion giants like Fashion Nova and PrettyLittleThing.
“I feel more confident than ever with my partnership with @shein_us,” Carbonari wrote in her caption. “There are so many companies not taking half the initiative shein is. They are aware of every single rumor 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.”
Carbonari did not respond to In The Know’s request for comment.
Other creators who went on the trip posted similarly worded messages. Aujené, who has over 1 million followers, claimed that she asked employees about child labor and fair wages and said, “Everyone we came across was content with their salary, and the idea of child labor was something they looked at me crazy for y’all.”
Destene Sudduth, with 384,000 followers, wrote “I’m thoroughly enjoying this experience and seeing things with my own eyes.” Marina Saavedra, who has 48,000 TikTok followers and advertises a Shein discount on her Linktree, narrated she “loved” that she could “actually see the working conditions for herself.” She added that “like many others, I’ve heard a lot of misinformation, so I enjoyed getting to see it firsthand.” Saavedra also turned off comments on her TikTok tour.
On Kenya Freeman’s Instagram Reel showcasing the factory, one Instagram commenter wrote, “Thank you for showing this. This bts definitely has changed my perspective on the company,” to which Freeman replied with a heart.
Rather than use traditional large factories, Shein does contract thousands of small, family-owned workshops throughout Guangzhou. Sudduth even noted the “family-owned” aspect of the factory as a positive in one of her videos.
They only invited people with zero critical thinking, eating this propaganda up! pic.twitter.com/LS1Lgh2ISh
— Kim (@TheKimbino) June 25, 2023
The working conditions at Shein aren’t new news — outlets like Reuters, Bloomberg and the Swiss watchdog group Public Eye have been publishing exposés for years.
In a since-deleted TikTok, Carbonari addressed the backlash and said, “I know exactly who the f*** I am, I know exactly what the f*** I’m doing.”
“I was not paid for any trip or to say anything,” she continued. “I was taken on a trip — once-in-a-lifetime chance — you would’ve done the exact same thing. I have so much more awareness of what’s going on behind the scenes than you ever could because you don’t see what’s going on.”
None of the creators on the trip are professional investigators or journalists and only toured Shein’s Innovation Factory, just one out of thousands of factories the brand owns and operates.
“The Shein influencer controversy is embarrassing,” journalist Imaeyen Ibanga tweeted. “It exposes the lack of media literacy. People don’t know what journalism is. A ‘free’ trip is payment. The trip isn’t free, it’s a barter system for good coverage. Investigative journalism isn’t a cute phrase. It’s real work.”
Shein scored a 0-10% in the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index, an annual report that reviews 250 of the world’s largest fashion brands and analyzes their social and environmental efforts.
Untold: Inside the Shein Machine, an investigative series released in October on the U.K.’s Channel 4, reported factory workers were being paid as little as four cents per clothing and working shifts that could last up to 18 hours. Journalist Iman Amrani gathered insights on conditions after an undercover reporter with hidden cameras got a job at one of the factories and started filming.
Last thing about the Shein propaganda brand trip, this company releases over 300,000 new designs a year and these people genuinely believe they’re pattern cutting items 1 by 1? pic.twitter.com/cC6fleoIGA
— millie (@millieadamsx) June 25, 2023
Other collaborations between content creators and brands have been facing backlash from social media users in recent months. In May, both Bioré and Tarte Cosmetics had to address commenters after Bioré approved a sponsored TikTok that referenced a school shooting and Tarte was accused of treating a creator of color as a “second-tier person” during a recent brand trip.
“The power of influencers is really in their perceived authenticity and expertise,” Maureen Coyle, an associate professor at Widener University, told In The Know. “When promoted content seems off-topic or inconsistent with an influencer’s regular content, it is likely to confuse followers and reduce how persuaded they will be to buy what is being promoted.”
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