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.
I have a friend that has been buying them for years after his actual AirPods died. They get recognized as AirPods on iOS and macOS, and the ANC is the exact same. He’s bought multiple pairs and says they function, look, and feel exactly the same.