The “little yellow app” is going mainstream as TikTok fills up with videos from Chinese factory workers claiming they’re the ones making your favorite luxury brands.
TikTok influencers are turning to DHgate – a Chinese online wholesale marketplace founded in 2004 – for luxury looks without the luxury price tag. Once a niche topic on Reddit, the site is now front and center in the emerging “dupe culture.”
The debate over fashion markups and manufacturing transparency isn’t new, but it’s getting renewed attention as TikTok floods with videos featuring individuals claiming to be Chinese manufacturers that produce goods for Western luxury brands.
Many of these videos mention brands that are well known to mass-produce in China, such as Nike or Lululemon, but some say they also manufacture for Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Hermès, and Prada.
They also claim that only final touches, like adding logos, are done in Europe to justify the “Made in Italy” or “Made in France” labels and sell the same products for thousands of dollars more.
@siniatrujillo999 Did you know ?Saying make in China 🇨🇳 that all bags come from China 🇨🇳 #china #bags #secret ♬ sonido original - SiniaTrujillo999
The viral trend of “China spilling the tea” has brought Chinese wholesalers like DHgate into the spotlight.
On Tuesday (April 15th), it was the 14th most downloaded shopping app in the US App Store – up from 22nd place a day before – and has climbed to number one in the UK, overtaking Temu, another Chinese e-shop, and Vinted, a Lithuanian "pre-loved" fashion marketplace.
The platform says it hosts over a million Chinese wholesalers and has 40 million products on offer – many of them unbranded versions of popular Western items. Fans claim some match the quality of their logo-bearing counterparts.
“If you’ve got your Gucci from DHgate, it’s the same Gucci in the stores, [where] it’s just got a label. You’re ain’t doing nothing but paying for a label,” said TikTok user Jusnene in a video with over 1.5 million views.
@jusnene I paid full price #dhgate #china #fyp #talkurshxxtnene #gucci ♬ original sound - YT & IG @TalkUrShxxtNene
“We’re spending thousands and thousands of dollars on something that was in fact made in China, not Italy,” claimed fashion influencer Ebony Brown in a clip with almost 3.5 million views.
“The only part that was actually made in Italy was when they put a designer tag on it,” she said, adding that that’s why “the wealthiest of wealthy people buy ‘inspired-by’ items.”
@ebonybrownstyle Replying to @Forever_E LUXURY ITEMS MADE IN CHINA 😱 #iykyk #china #chinatiktok #luxuryfashion #madeinchina #tradewar #tariff ♬ Silence - Vick Lezcano
In another video, TikTok user Madds Santa compared what she said was an original Louis Vuitton wallet she bought in-store for over $800 to a “same wallet” and matching purse from DHGate that cost her $100, claiming the quality was identical.
“You cannot tell them apart. Quality looks the same, the stitching looks the same, the material feels the same,” she said.
@santas4life China made luxury items exposed #china #luxury #dhgate #fyp ♬ original sound - Madds | Mom Life
As influencers and creators showcase their DHgate purchases in viral hauls, fueling a broader conversation about brand markups and manufacturing transparency, industry experts caution against taking some of their claims at face value.
Brand strategist Oren John, who travels to China frequently for work and has visited factories there, described the trend as “a tactic happening on TikTok right now to convince people to buy dupes.”
“It happens a lot less than they’re implying. You’re not getting an Hermès bag that was made in China,” he said.
@orenmeetsworld What is made in China for luxury brands, cosmetics, furniture etc and should you be buying any of this direct from factory at this point
♬ original sound - Oren John
Trade War TikTok
While DHgate’s moment in the spotlight reflects a growing appetite for designer dupes, the rise of “dupe culture” also comes with blurred ethical and legal lines. Many of the site’s listings steer clear of logos, but plenty mimic the look and feel of high-end products closely enough to raise eyebrows.
Fashion experts warn that not all that glitters on TikTok is ethically sourced – or legally safe. Supporting knockoffs, even indirectly, can undermine intellectual property protections and contribute to labor issues in less regulated supply chains.
The surge of these video clips also coincides with escalating trade tensions between the US and China. Earlier this month, Washington imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, prompting China to retaliate with its own 125% tariffs on US goods.
While there is no concrete evidence linking TikTok videos to a coordinated effort by the Chinese government, the proliferation of such content during a period of heightened tension raised some questions about the timing and has even been dubbed “Trade War TikTok.”
TikTok, a Chinese-owned app, has become both a bargaining chip – President Donald Trump suggested that China could receive tariff relief if it approved the sale of the platform to a US-based entity – and a tool for amplifying pro-Beijing narratives.
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