Influencers bashed for praising Shein’s working conditions in China despite alleged abuse
An influencer and self-proclaimed “confidence activist” has apologized after she was pummeled with criticism for sharing a glowing review of Shein’s factory in China after touring the facility.
Shein, an online fast-fashion retailer headquartered in Singapore, posts more than 6,000 new products on its website daily. The company has gained a controversial reputation over its cheap apparel made in allegedly abusive factory conditions.
Last week, plus-sized model Dani Carbonari shared a one-minute video with her 481,000 followers of her “life-changing,” Shein-sponsored trip to its largest factory in Guangzhou, China.
In the video, Carbonari said she had been “impressed to see the working conditions” after touring Shein’s China factory as the camera panned to men and women sewing and ironing fabrics in a brightly-lit space.
In the voiceover, Carbonari also insisted that she interviewed a woman who worked in Shein’s fabric-cutting department who said she was “surprised at all of the rumors that have been spread in the US.”
“She told me about her family, her lifestyle, her commute, her hours,” Carbonari said in the since-deleted post.
Carbonari ended her controversial video by saying her “biggest takeaway” from the influncer trip “is to be an independent thinker, get the facts and see it with your own two eyes.”
“There’s a narrative fed to us in the US, 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,” she continued.
The clip, however, has been deleted. Carbinari did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. On Monday, Carbinari posted an apology to her followers.
“Especially plus-sized influencers, we’re just so happy to be included,” Carbinari said in the post on Monday.
“I’m sorry and sad that people who don’t know me are angry and upset,” she added, noting that she should have done more research on the brand before attending the trip.
Critics weren’t satisfied.
“Oh come on. Just say it. ‘I willingly agreed to become a PR tool for a notoriously unethical company because of my own negligence…. You don’t get to ‘take accountability’ when you can’t even actively acknowledge what you did wrong,” one commenter said.
Carbonari was among six influencers who toured the Shein factory. Collectively, they have about 2 million followers.
Other influencers who went on the junket are also in the hot seat. One, Destene Sudduth, also posted a video of the tour to her Instagram page, which boasts more than 385,000 followers.
“I’m not gonna lie, I really expected it to look like it does in the movies — like really dark and dingy — but I was really surprised to see each piece handled with care,” Sudduth said in the voiceover.
Her comments section was less positive, with one user pointing out that “it’s been proven that their [Shein’s] workers work 12hrs a day in poor conditions.”
“I’m sorry but this is not it,” the commenter added.
Another said: “Nice building or not it’s not the whole story, don’t believe things so easily.”
Another influencer, Kenya Freeman, also posted a response on Tuesday to the backlash she has been getting in the wake of the trip, which she said includes daily harassment and even death threats.
“If you have any further questions ASK SHEIN AND NOT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!” Freeman captioned the video.
The Post has reached out to Shein for comment.
The influencers’ sentiments contradict Shein’s factories’ reputation, which have been billed as abusive, especially after a series of TikTok videos showing clothing tags stitched with “help me” and “need your help” went viral.
Additionally, Shein’s 2021 Sustainability and Social Impact Report cited “frequent violations” throughout the supply chain after 700 suppliers were audited.
Of those surveyed, the most (27%) noted violations to the company’s “fire and emergency preparedness” and “working hours” (14%). Meanwhile, 8% cited errors in “general working environment” and less than 1% even noted “underage labor.”
CBC Media Centre also reported in 2021 that out of a sample of 38 pieces of children’s, adult’s and maternity clothes and accessories, one in five items had elevated levels of lead, PFAS and phthalates, which are used in plastics.
US lawmakers have also accused the brand of violating the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits the importation of goods manufactured by marginalized Uyghur workers.
On Monday, Reps. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) and John Rose (R-Tenn.) wrote a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler, urging him to require Shein to disclose more information about its labor practices.
