A TikTok creator has gone viral after saying she thinks there’s a double standard for criticism of two popular fast fashion brands.
TikToker Anayka (@anaykahee) recently posted about the different responses she’s seen people give to Shein and Temu. The video has more than 565,000 views and 111,000 likes as of July 6.
@anaykahee ♬ original sound – Anayka he
“I’m being dead serious,” Anayka said to start the video. “Are we all just pretending that Temu isn’t just Shein? Because I feel like y’all was going hard behind Shein being terrible, but then y’all picked up Temu and was like, ‘Oh my god, look at all these mysteriously low prices.’”
Anayka concludes: “Girl, this is Shein part two.”
Many viewers in the comments section seemed to agree.
“They even recycle the same pics,” one person wrote.
“I ordered shorts from temu and they arrived with a shein tag inside the shorts,” a second said.
“It got way [too] many deals, it’s so sketchy,” another added.
Other commenters said that Temu’s goods come at an even lower price point than Shein’s.
“I think temu is def cheaper I be seeing the same shein stuff on there but they cost less,” one viewer commented.
“Temu had a wider variety of options, cheaper, and delivers faster,” a second wrote.
“Temu be having a whole outfit for $3.07,” another said.
“I have literally told people’ it’s just a more streamlined wish that somehow had multiple million dollar ads during the superbowl. no ty,’” one comment read.
So, what exactly is the difference between Shein and Temu?
Shein, founded in 2012, is an online fast fashion retailer founded in China. According to The Cut, “The brand’s low prices, fast production, and popularity on TikTok have cemented it as a Gen-Z favorite. It is one of the biggest fast-fashion companies in the world with a valuation of $66 billion, greater than that of Zara and H&M combined.”
The Cut also detailed Shein’s history of controversy: It has come under fire for allegations of design theft, exploitative labor practices, and environmental unsustainability. Most recently, the company caused viral outrage when it invited influencers to tour its warehouses. Despite the criticism, Shein touts commitments to sustainability and equitable employment.
Temu is newer on the scene; people might remember its Super Bowl ad. Launched in September, Temu is an American-market spinoff of Chinese online retailer Pinduoduo, Time reports.
According to Time, it’s come under fire for unreliable shipping and product quality. Temu’s also been the subject of cybersecurity concerns, according to CNBC.
Temu’s website describes the company as “an online marketplace that connects consumers with millions of sellers, manufacturers and brands around the world with the mission to empower them to live their best lives.” The website also states that the company was founded in Boston and has return warehouses in New Jersey and California.
Shein and Temu are different companies, but they share countries of origin, low-price-point models, and the kinds of controversies that come with both. According to CNN, a congressional commission recently “called out Shein and Temu in a report that suggested the companies and others in China were potentially linked to the use of forced labor, exploitation of trade loopholes, product safety hazards or intellectual property theft.”
The Daily Dot contacted Anayka via TikTok comment and direct message, as well as Shein and Temu via email.
