U.S. Influencers Bashed For Reports On Shein Junket

A group of American fashion influencers and creators has received online backlash after they visited a model factory in China as part of a tour sponsored by Shein, an internet shopping giant, and posted glowing reviews, Ramishah Maruf reported for CNN.

Photo Insert: Kenya Freeman, a designer who has sold clothing on Shein, traveled to China and Singapore, where Shein is now based, as part of the junket and shared videos on her Instagram account.

Shein – which is known for selling trendy clothing at low prices – is among the companies founded in China now facing questions over a litany of issues, including how it is able to sell goods so cheaply, how transparent it is with the public about its labor and sourcing practices and how much environmental waste it generates.

In mid-June, the influencers traveled to Guangzhou to see the company’s “innovation center,” which features high-tech fabric cutters and robots.

Kenya Freeman, a designer who has sold clothing on Shein, traveled to China and Singapore, where Shein is now based, as part of the junket and shared videos on her Instagram account.

The pushback was swift, with comments flooding in criticizing her and the other influencers’ understanding of Shein’s connection to human rights abuses and the environmental impact of fast fashion.

They questioned why the influencers would align themselves with what they claimed were unethical values. The volume of online hate was “unprecedented,” Freeman told CNN, and was affecting her mental health, Michelle Toh and Nathaniel Meyersohn also reported for CNN.

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