Influencers who went on a trip to fast-fashion giant Shein’s manufacturing facilities in China came away from the experience posting videos praising the company and throwing cold water on allegations of forced labor and other abuses.
Viewers were skeptical of the influencers’ videos and believed the creators were presented with a sanitized version of the actual conditions at Shein.
Influencers including Dani Carbonari (@danidmc), AuJené Butler (@itsjustajlove), Marina Saavedra (@marinasaavedraa) and Destene Sudduth (itsdestene_) visited the Shein facilities in Guangzhou, China. None of them immediately responded to requests for comment.
In their videos, the influencers said they spoke to employees about their working conditions and were told everything was “normal.” They also emphasized how clean and technologically-advanced the factories were.
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There have been reports of alleged forced labor abuses, human rights violations and potentially hazardous materials in clothing at Shein. The company has denied forced labor allegations and told NBC News in an emailed statement Monday that, "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.”
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