Chinese factories overflow Tiktok with luxury goods, experts warn

Chinese factories overflow Tiktok with luxury goods, experts warn

China enters the next level in the trade war: the Tikok feeds in America. This week Chinese providers flooded American social media and asked users to bypass the 145%tariffs of President Donald Trump by buying directly from their factories.

The strategy of the Chinese manufacturers

A TIKTOK user who calls himself Wang claims that he is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for most luxury brands and shows himself in front of a wall with seemingly extremely expensive Birkin bags. OEMS work in the background and manufacture the products that are then sold by another company under its own brand.

"Why don't you just contact us and buy directly from us? You won't believe the prices that we can give you," he says in a clip. His video was later removed from the app. In the meantime, however, DHGATE, an online wholesale business that is known for the sale of Chinese imitations of luxury goods, has been shot in second place in the US app store. Another app, Taobao, the original e-commerce platform Chinas, occupies 7th place.

the reality behind the claims

It is extremely unlikely that these providers are actually legitimate suppliers for brands such as Lululemon and Chanel, several experts say. Legitimate manufacturers usually sign confidentiality agreements, which is why it is unlikely that these providers actually sell the real products.

The videos not only illustrate the concern of consumers about the tariffs, but also show how much buyers are dependent on China. These Chinese providers distribute the message that despite the claims of the White House, their economic policy, America will in place, the same measures will lead to American consumers lose access to their favorite products or have to pay more for it.

true origin of the branded products

In another video, an influencer, called Lunasourcingchina, praises two factories in Yiwu, a city known for their wholesale market, and claims that the active clothing brand Lululemon is directly related to their 98 dollar leggings. "I assume most of you know what Lululemon or other large brands cost ... if you get, here in these two factories, you get them for about five to six dollars," she says. Lululemon quickly rejected these claims.

In a statement on Monday, Lululemon said that the company "does not work with the manufacturers mentioned in the online videos and that we ask consumers to be aware of the possibly fake products and misinformation." The two factories mentioned are not listed on Lululemon's list of suppliers for April 2025.

The price of the luxury goods

What about the expensive handbags and watches that are marked as "made in Italy" or "Made in Switzerland" - are they actually produced in China? Regina Frei, professor for sustainable and circular systems at the University of the Arts London, says: "Neither a clear yes nor a clear no." Many parts of China will sort out many luxury brands before the end product is composed in France or Italy. But there is no clear way to check this due to the notorious non -transparent supply chains of the luxury industry.

Even factories in Italy or other countries can have connections to China, be it due to foreign property or management, adds freely. "When it comes to very expensive handbags that require a lot of manual work, they will probably be started somewhere and then completed, for example, in France," she explains. This means that even if some parts come from Luxury goods from China, there is no guarantee of safety and quality controls if you buy the end product directly from these factories on Tiktok.

Environmental pollution from mass consumption

These videos from Chinese manufacturers get viral and bring America's dependence on Chinese and international supply chains. This transparency forces some consumers to ask themselves a question that had been buried in American awareness for a long time: where do my favorite products actually come from?

as found: "If China would stop producing, our business would be empty." In addition, the environmental impact of mass orders from Chinese manufacturers becomes clear, a practice that has gained popularity with the rise of shops such as Shein and Temu.

The individual sending of packages worldwide is an “environmental disaster”, says Frei. These packages are individually packed in plastic and are sent by aircraft or cargo ship around the world, which causes an enormous CO2 footprint. Often these cheap articles end as trash.

"Do we experience the death of capitalism?" jokes a user on Tikkok.