cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/32835964
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In one [Tiktok] video that has nearly 10 million views, a creator claims to be able to sell yoga pants from the same manufacturer that supplies Lululemon for $5-$6, instead of the $100 they sell for in the United States.
“The material and the craftsmanship are basically the same because they come from the same production line,” she says, standing in front of what appears to be a factory.
In another, a man standing on a factory floor claims to have access to manufacturers that produce Louis Vuitton bags, which he says can be sold directly to customers for $50.
But both companies deny their products are finished in China, and experts told The Independent the videos are likely an effort by counterfeit or “dupe” manufacturers to take advantage of the chaos over the tariffs to boost their sales.
“They’re trying to conflate the fake manufacturers in China with the real manufacturers,” said Conrad Quilty-Harper, author of Dark Luxury, a newsletter about the luxury goods industry.
“They’re very clever with their social media, and they’re very effective at driving demand in the West,” he added.
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Louis Vuitton has said repeatedly that it does not manufacture products in China.
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TikTok users have reported seeing the videos appear in their feeds in recent days as the trade war between the U.S. and China continues to heat up.
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The counterfeit market in China is the largest in the world. U.S. Customs seized counterfeit items worth some $1.8 billion in recommended retail price in 2023.
Quilty-Harper said the counterfeit industry in China has been a concern for Western companies for years. And the enforcement of trademark and intellectual property rights internally has tended to depend on the geopolitical climate.
“In the past, the Chinese authorities have been stricter on it, and sometimes they’ve been looser on it, and often that’s to do with the relationship with the US and previous presidents,” he said.
“This is part of a huge geopolitical battle between America and China over intellectual property. And it’s just fascinating to see this sort of propaganda fight happening on these very high-traffic TikTok videos,” he added.
As someone who would love more production in America, I largely agree but might add a caveat to this. China makes a bunch of cheap crap, and at the same time that is exactly what our society demands. “I want something that does X at the cheapest possible price” is what the average US citizen wants. Roughly 77% live paycheck to paycheck, so them wanting the cheapest price makes sense. They can’t afford quality and China is happy to lower the quality for them.
On the flip side China makes iPhones. People who buy those phones demand top quality, and China delivers there too. China is capable of quality, but most people don’t actually want quality. This sounds counter intuitive to me at first, but at the same time, we elected Trump twice so I think I’m just out of touch with a large group of our country.
If you want the cheapest possible option, which is what the majority demand, China will do that. American made goods are expensive and that isn’t what the majority want or can afford. This is not me saying, “nobody wants quality.” I want quality. I want American made. I will pay the higher price. I just also understand that most people in America don’t actually want that.
Ttey might want American made, they just can’t afford it.