People in China have taken to TikTok to shine a light on popular luxury brands that allegedly depend on the low cost of Chinese manufacturers and in turn, charge a ridiculous markup to customers.
The viral claim comes after Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all countries, except for China, which saw its rate raised from 84 percent to 125 percent. Chinese president Xi Jinping responded by imposing 125 percent tariffs on the United States, and placing export restrictions on rare earth materials.
While TikTok is banned in China, Douyin, the Chinese version of the app, is a major source of viral content within the country. The luxury brand claims appeared to have began circulating there before spreading internationally through reposts.
There has been some debate about the validity of these claims. One person alleges his Instagram account was permanently suspended without warning after Hermès reportedly filed a complaint. The reason for the removal of the post was because it "may contain something that infringes someone else's trademark rights or promotes counterfeit goods."
Hermès has not been shy about protecting its trademarks in the past. The company has previously taken legal action against both individuals and companies for misrepresenting product authenticity or for selling fakes of its items online.
While some believe Hermès is attempting to suppress the truth, others argue the takedown was likely due to concerns about promoting counterfeit products. According to Newsweek, Hermès does not manufacture its bags in China. Instead, its workshops are located in various regions of France, including Ardennes, Lyon, Pantin, and Normandy.
“Hermès bags are crafted exclusively in our ateliers in France by highly trained artisans," it told the publication in a statement. "We do not outsource production of our leather goods to China or any other country. Any claims suggesting otherwise are categorically false and may be the result of counterfeit misinformation.”
Another person dissected the claim that Hermès bags are allegedly made by Chinese manufacturers based on the use of similar materials. They argued that comparing luxury products to local manufacturers solely because of material similarities is misleading, as it overlooks the importance of "technique and skill."
Luxury brands have long faced scrutiny over transparency in their supply chains. While companies like Hermès emphasize handcrafted production in France, others have been found to outsource materials or parts of their production process in an effort to reduce labor costs.
Watch some of the TikToks below.
