Those TikTok Wholesale Finds From China—From Birkins To Birkenstocks—Are Probably Fake. Here’s Why.

Chinese manufacturers are claiming American TikTok users can buy brands popular in the U.S. directly from them for less, such as Lululemon and Birkenstock, as a way to undercut the 145% tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump—but experts say the products are likely counterfeits and warn consumers can’t buy directly from factories.

LONDON, ENGLAND: In this photo illustration, a TikTok logo is displayed on an iPhone on February 28, … More 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

In one video with more than 6.1 million views that has since been taken down, TikTok user Wang Sen claims more than 80% of luxury handbags are actually made in China and that it’s cheaper to buy directly from his factory, saying “you have been misled and poisoned by the marketing campaign of those luxury brands for too long.”

However, some factories are original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, which produce goods for major brands and are not allowed to sell directly to the consumer, said Daniel Langer, luxury strategy professor at Pepperdine University.

“The viral claim that the exact same products are available directly from these factories at a fraction of the price is grossly misleading or false,” said Langer, who is also the CEO and founder of luxury strategy consultancy Équité.

In dozens of videos, international manufacturers are framing the “buy direct” approach as a way to undercut Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

In addition to tariffs, Fflur Roberts, head of global luxury goods at Euromonitor International, told Forbes the surge in these videos also taps into the dissatisfaction customers are feeling over the rising prices of luxury goods since the pandemic.

Beyond marketing products, Chinese TikTok users have been poking fun at the U.S. tariff plan, with one viral AI-created video captioned “Make america great again” showing overweight Americans working in factories.

Do Lululemon, Louis Vuitton And Hermès Manufacture In China?

“Lululemon does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos and we urge consumers to be aware of potentially counterfeit products and misinformation,” a Lululemon company spokesperson told Forbes and provided a supplier list, which does include manufacturers in mainland China. Hermès did not immediately return a request for comment, but the company’s website says its products are “mainly” manufactured in France where 60% of its workforce lives. The company also works with manufacturers in Switzerland, Italy, the U.K., the U.S., Portugal and Australia, but China is not listed on the site. All Birkenstock footwear is made in the European Union, chief communications officer Jochen Gutzy told Forbes, primarily in Germany. Beyond Lululemon, Hermès and Birkenstock, other companies mentioned in these videos include Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Under Armour, each of which did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. The majority of the suppliers for LVMH, the parent company of Louis Vuitton and Dior, are based in Europe according to its website, while the remaining 20% are divided equally across North America and Asia (it’s unclear if China is included in the 10% of Asian suppliers). Chanel manufactures in France, Spain, Italy and Scotland according to its website, while Under Armour says its products are manufactured all over the world, and each garment’s place of origin is listed on its tag.

Is Tiktok Removing The Videos Of Chinese Manufacturers?

Some of the videos from manufacturers, like Sen’s promoting wholesale luxury handbags, seem to have been taken down from the platform. Birkenstock contacted TikTok Monday about one video which referenced AliExpress, a Chinese company owned by the Alibaba Group that Gutzy said is tied to a “counterfeit center in Zhejiang” and was claiming to sell the brand’s shoes at wholesale prices. The video and account were deleted by Tuesday morning. “The video in question does NOT depict a BIRKENSTOCK supplier warehouse. Instead, the products shown are knockoffs and the factory featured is clearly NOT ours so the claims in the video are false,” Gutzy said in emailed remarks. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tangent

While the idea of paying just $2,400 for a handbag that would cost tens of thousands of dollars directly from the designer might sound enticing, fashion experts say the quality might not be up to par–even if the materials are the same. Derek Guy, a menswear writer known colloquially on X as “the menswear guy,” explained that details such as a neat, hand-sewn saddle stitch or finishing on the leather are often what make the quality of luxury leather goods stand out and last longer. With international trade tensions growing, Roberts said the heritage and supply chains of luxury brands will play a greater role in consumers’ purchasing decisions, saying, “one thing that people strongly believe is if they buy a Hermès bag, then the chances are that most of that bag and the leather will have come from France.”

Will Dupes Be Subject To Trump’s Tariffs?

Duplicate items, known as “dupes,” aren’t new. But experts say they do grow in popularity in times of economic downturn as consumers look to cut down on spending. “Consumers overall are very happy to buy those products because they’re not fakes, but they’re not claiming to be anything but a replica or something very similar to, let’s say, a Lululemon zip up,” Roberts said. But the price of dupes, she said, could still get pricier for the American consumer as products made internationally would be subjected to their country’s respective tariff.

Crucial Quote

“In the original TikTok video, the maker claims his bags are just like Hermès because they use the same materials,” Guy posted on X. “That’s like me saying my spaghetti is on par with a Michelin-starred chef’s just because we both use tomatoes and flour. In fact, skill matters more than materials.”

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