Designers have hit out after Chinese retail giants ‘copied’ their products, but despite managing to get listings removed they are left feeling powerless and out of pocket.
Sellers have seen their unique artwork, custom-made clothing and handcrafted jewellery imitated and sold on Shein, Temu and AliExpress for a fraction of the price.
Frustrated artisans have taken to TikTok to expose how their designs have been ‘ripped off’ by websites like Shein, which was founded in China in 2008.
Their videos compare and contrast their designs with strikingly similar Shein knock-offs.
In one, artist Vikki Jones revealed she had sent Temu a cease and desist letter after the retail giant ‘stole’ her artwork and sold ‘hundreds of copies’.
In the clip, the visibly upset 25-year-old says she ‘doesn’t know what to do’ after hearing of similar incidents that left independent sellers fighting to get their work taken down – with little success.
Ms Jones, who sells her original …