we need to talk about Temu

[@julesmerlo6247]

local fiber artist here to remind y'all that crochet is not able to be replicated by a machine, so if you're seeing a crochet top in a big box store for cheap, it's a handmade item from someone who absolutely was not paid a living wage

[@supervivo7069]

I had no idea about this. Thank you for informing us.

[@unrightist]

Very true although "crochet" has sort of become a catch-all term for anything that looks vaguely like crocheted lace. Speaking as someone who crochets myself and who has worked at a fast fashion store where items were sometimes labeled "crochet" in the system. That isn't to say that exploitation isn't happening, obviously, but it is often a lot quicker and cheaper to use a mechanized imitation.

[@anacrea3931]

Yes! Though really, all the clothing in that big box store was made by someone being paid next to nothing.

[@danielrichardson6054]

Wait until people find out how sugar is processed. People rip on corn syrup because we generically modified crops. I'd take that over sugar harvested by slaves in a jungle.

[@alantbaird]

I did not know this. It's amazing that in a world where machines can land themselves on Mars or position individual atoms with precision they still fail to do something as basic as crochet.

[@chibiktsn3]

Unsurprisingly, I got a Temu ad on this video. Thank you for jumping in this grenade. To me, Temu just seems like an even WORSE version of Wish and Shien.

[@NicrophorusVesp]

I just did too

[@dragontears]

They're doing a big YT push rn. A significant portion of my ads rn are temu, too. Maybe one in five or so? I've never bought from them.

[@princessravendiamond4288]

Same here, I got a Temu ad before the video. I continually get ads from them. It's really annoying

[@alchemistcannon]

I got two Temu ads back to back at the beginning of this video

[@ky_piece]

I got one too, what a coincidence

[@winterburden]

Thank you for not shopping like a billionaire so we don't have to!

[@Vicky-Hugh-Martini]

Really!

[@elenahernandez7656]

Wut

[@slugsiemuu3201]

I fugging love this comment SO much 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheVirtualObserver]

@@elenahernandez7656 "Shop like a billionaire" is Temu's current slogan.

[@MenwithHill]

BILLIONAIRES DON'T EVEN SHOP PEOPLE OF THAT INCOME RANGE ARE *CATERED FOR*

[@lindseyz6213]

The company’s response to the ‘help’ tags is very much giving “There is no war in Ba Sing Se”

[@tanyadrochner2105]

😂😂😂

[@hearts4mikey]

Please 😭💀

[@djprincegrandmasteryrjdalo2905]

😂😂😂 Bro, that’s a fucking good one!…

[@-.Ren_Ren.-]

Yoooooo

[@theMyRadiowasTaken]

i mean yes but am i the only one who could see that a phrase like "help the garment by xyz" could be turned into "help me" by mistranslation edit: youtube isnt letting me reply rn but id just like to say: i dont think this IS what happened, but if you use a shitty enough translation service it can drop like half a sentence. i could see a weirdly phrased care guide getting turned into "help me" by google translate for example

[@Edward_Avila]

Ever since I started doing videos about chinese makeup brands temu would NOT stop emailing me- at one point out of curiosity I was like okay lemme try replying- although they agreed with the amount I offered it was then that I realized they dont even freakin ship to Korea lol (which is where I live) and after I told them this they were like “okay can you look for a forwarding service? Except you have to pay for that yourself.” I stopped replying after that lol. And theyre STILL emailing me 💀

[@flonny1340]

Edward, what are you doing here bestie 😆 anywayyy hi

[@NeonAmnesia]

Maybe email them back "shut the hell up" 😅.

[@metalcoremichael1024]

I had the same thing from Ali. I bought a cheap chest piece for a Ren faire outfit, and my inbox would be flooded with nothing but them

[@cherry__Soda]

I’ll make sure to check out that content, that sounds pretty bad

[@officialJOY1229]

Block & report it.

[@wayfareangel]

This basically confirmed my opinion of Temu. When I first saw the ads, I thought "Oh, another company selling products made with slave labour. I'm never going to buy from them." It's honestly a little refreshing when they make it this easy. Most companies do their best to hide the slave labour. You know, Nike, Mars, actually a good chunk of chocolate producers... with Temu, I don't need to dig. You can't sell wireless earbuds for $1.25 unless you have a child somewhere digging up heavy metals for pennies. You just can't.

[@catsotorious]

This.

[@sluttyMapleSyrup]

Exactly. "Why aren't people buying our $2 wireless headphones?!" Because they're either shit quality, made by slaves, or - most likely - both.

[@jayaisnthere]

sorry but literally every good brand uses child labor, nothing you can do abt it.

[@Lil1kv]

Puts my thoughts into words perfectly

[@Amsayy]

Yeah at this point I feel like it should be well known that anything like this is all just the same cheap Chinese junk made in poor factories

[@taylorg2320]

As someone who is considered to be under the "low income" threshold, I have a huge bone to pick with people who argue in favor of fast fashion because "not everyone can afford sustainable clothes." The inaccessibility of sustainable fashion for lower incomes is a completely separate issue that we can also advocate for, they're not mutually exclusive. But to say that everyone is entitled to the most current trends at the expense of slave labour employees is completely morally bankrupt. Our aesthetic isn't worth more than the working conditions of millions. We're screwing over people in even worse circumstances than ours to solve our own problems. If resellers would stop raiding thrift stores and taking all of the good quality clothes while leaving only cheap fast fashion for everyone else to buy, we could actually cycle through sustainable clothing until the end of the garmen't lifespan at every income level.

[@hellogoato]

I'm always here for more thrift store advocacy! I recently found some quality thrift stores in my area after some years of not knowing any, I feel like I got a piece of my soul back lol

[@Rhaifha]

Agreed, I'm low income and disabled, and I usually struggle to find things second hand. But I do go thrifting, and I'm learning to sew my own clothes. And I just properly care for the clothes I own. Basic sewing and darning skills can go a long way! Like, there's no ethical consumption under capitalism, true. But that shouldn't be an excuse to just... give up.

[@clarakf]

@Ana Pie This! Also, many places don't even have thrift stores. I live in a relatively small city (in South America) and we don't have thrift stores here like in the US. And the few places that do sell used clothing don't have much variety (not in style and certainly not in size). Recently, even fast fashion stores are becoming absurdly expensive here so I do understand when people buy from apps like SHEIN because it really is the only affordable option sometimes.

[@magnoliacoronamerodio8623]

@AnaPie89 XXS and XS too! I normally don’t find clothes my size, not even in thrift stores so SOMETIMES fast fashion is my only option.

[@magnoliacoronamerodio8623]

@@clarakf I’m from Mexico and i confirm this.

[@Paulismyhero777]

There's just no way temu is an ethical business 😒 it screams "don't buy me!" even more than shein did

[@Speederzzz]

The vibes were definitely off

[@allier1867]

💯

[@XavierVB]

The way shit on there is so fucking cheap is what throws me off. I just know that shit has blood on it - it has to

[@mom_im_losing_it]

It's 100% real and you get what you buy.

[@theluminousone5883]

​@@mom_im_losing_it can ya' give an example?

[@conifercrow]

I'll admit that I got "influenced" by all the people I watch who sold out to Temu, and checked them out. Bought a couple little kitchen things just to see, and those arrived quickly and were of (expectedly) dubious quality. I gave them one more chance, since I just needed a bath mat. Figured that dubious quality wouldn't be a big deal when it's something so simple, and got that and a bunch of packs of stickers, and a tarot deck that said it had the guidebook. It took ages to ship, and once it got here: 1. Most of the stickers were literally stolen artwork. Like, some had the original artist's logo still on them. My spidey sense tingled. 2. The tarot deck was 100% counterfeit. The "guidebook" -- which is one way to tell an authentic deck from a fake deck, and most counterfeits have just a QR code to a PDF of the actual scanned guidebook -- was a generic "here's how to read tarot", and had NOTHING to do with the deck. Stolen artwork there, too. IP theft is no big deal to these yahoos. 3. The WORST, though...the bath mat. It was evening when it arrived and I didn't look too closely. Just tossed it on the floor and wadded up the bag and put it in the bathroom garbage can. Which should have been the end of the story, but...BUT!...there were ANTS IN IT. I mean actual ants. Small black LIVE ANTS. By the time I realized it, they were all over my bathroom. I cleaned them up as well as I could, and when I checked the plastic bag (trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, since they COULD have just come in from outside or something), there were a ton of dead ants in the bag. They DEFINITELY came from Temu/the factory. I'm STILL cleaning up from the ant infestation, and I've never heard back from CS about the stolen IP they sold me. They can go dive off a cliff before I ever give them another penny.

[@jam9064]

Thank you for the information. Much appreciated

[@nikkiwalsh2762]

😳😳 wow😢 thts just absolutely awful. They advertising on my phone constantly and i actually thought hhmm ok I'll take a look...NOT ANYMORE!!! Im horrified and definitely staying away from tht!! Thankya 4 sharing this. ❤

[@folksagabookart]

Thank you for this information. I’m bombarded with ads from them of items in completely my style, and the photos are beautiful. I got very intrigued but also felt this cannot be legit, so I have not ordered anything yet. I just hate art theft and companies copying crafters work and stealing their photos.

[@Overnighttattooist]

Yeh one thing you forgot is there all Opened and checked at customers I’m sure they would have seen ant. That all and said, the products are crap filmy break I check temu out because it cheap and yes it really was the crystal are plastic and glass the water cleaner wouldn’t even fit and split on tap. I got a mat from there that was so small its a mouse mat . The sizes are not as they seem but at these prices you can’t expect much more.only item that ok so far is the tea towel holder that sticks to the wall.

[@crab5862]

I'm mostly confused you assumed there wouldn't be stolen artwork and counterfeit tarot. These companies are made to bring money however morally dubious, and that includes cutting corners

[@marz1pan]

I've never heard of Temu but I refuse to buy products from Shein or Wish or [insert new shady company that will inevitably pop up soon here] and I told my "friends" that I was wanting to shop more sustainably going forward. One of the "friends" turns around and said "I don't really care about the whole child labour thing or people dying while making my clothes. If someone died while making a sock I bought maybe I'd feel different". 🤮🤮🤮

[@manifestationsofasort]

What. The fuck. Please tell me they're an ex friend.

[@IrenDoesAnimations]

Stop being friends with whoever said that. That’s gross..

[@Smiley_Face0]

That's evil

[@gravityfails4628]

I hope by one of the “friends” you mean former because they sound like an awful person!

[@EamonWill]

I'm glad that you very clearly saw their toxic behavior and have reevaluated whether you should be friends with them. It's not healthy to be around people who are so self centered. Wishing you the best! ❤

[@caleballen1330]

Shop like a billionaire by buying dirt cheap trash.

[@FukaiKokoro]

Billionaires can afford actually nice products that don't break after a few days

[@darcichambers6184]

If you really want to shop like a billionaire dirt cheap, go to the very nice part of town. Find either a thrift shop or consignment shop. Vola, cheep, long-lasting brand name clothing and accessories.

[@rainingopals1439]

They're ad song is soooo tacky

[@randomtinypotatocried]

@@darcichambers6184 Too bad with all the rich kids doing just that, it has made thrift stores now significantly more expensive. I'm now having to be forced to stick to fast fashion since even a basic t-shirt at a thrift store is so marked up that it isn't worth it

[@UniDocs_Mahapushpa_Cyavana]

@@FukaiKokoro They could just buy the cheaper/time stuff anyway. They aren't chained ⛓ by their money 💰.

[@ohnoitsandrew9538]

Temu definitely seems more like Wish to me. I keep getting ads for "94¢ headphones with free shipping" and stuff like that. It definitely feels like a wholesaler for people you see at festivals and other events.

[@mmmahh9056]

Yeah, and they arent always great quality too. It feels like something that I would see in a carnival or claw machine

[@fangsfrthmmrs]

yeah, it feels a bit like an aliexpress clone to me.

[@hommefataltaemin]

I keep getting ads for like $5 Nintendo Switches so I assumed it was obviously a scam

[@Siriastimeflies]

Yeah it made me think of Wish rather than Shein too

[@Trioditis]

Definitely giving Wish vibes, especially when they use familiar brand names (Lenovo, Nintendo, etc.) but then the featured product is clearly a knockoff. I'm not sure why they haven't had their ads pulled just for that.

[@roguetaco5487]

I think Bernadette Banner did a video a while back about either Wish or Shein stealing photos from her "making a medieval gown video" and literally selling a crappy garment as the "dupe". Her video goes in-depth on the cost of garment making (with labor considerations). Definitely worth the watch.

[@SilverDragonJay]

I second this recommendation. Bernadette Banner creates lovely content and that video in particular is filled with sass while also putting into perspective just how expensive well made, ethical clothes really are. That we kind of expect clothes to be dirt cheap is really ridiculous. Its also ridiculous that we think its perfectly acceptable for a shirt to start coming undone after a couple of years. That video also helped teach me what to look for to determine the quality of a garment. So now when I'm out shopping for clothes (a rarity for me, admittedly) I always turn it inside out and scrutinize the seams and fabric content to make sure that I'm getting something that's not shien quality.

[@djmensil7303]

I remember that video! It was way more than a while back tho its been years I know because that’s the first video of hers that I saw and became a fan of hers through❤

[@ettaz]

​@@djmensil7303 hey, me too! That was the first video I saw and I've been a die hard fan ever since. She inspired me to sew and to try to be as sustainable I can be with my sewing. I make some of the clothes I wear and I always try to find good cotton or linen, sew so it lasts, upcycle and thrift... Basically, all of my current interests and hobbies come from her!

[@gaerekxenos]

​@@djmensil7303Same~!! First video I saw of hers. The thing that impressed me the most was all of the citations and credits, since I cannot for the life of me deal with nor go through all of that even with the typical essays where they are required. So many people on the web don't bother with detailed source citations either. And even considering all of the permissions and all that on top of that as well~ absolutely amazing

[@arianamauery9281]

Bernadette Banner makes great content! I remember that video.

[@insederec]

Temu is getting under my skin in a huge way. It came out of nowhere and you can smell the sheer amount of advertising dollars at work with the speed and breadth of it. I literally can't escape ads from this company. And having watched one once, it's literally... EXACTLY like every single other company like it. Ali Express. Wish. Amazon. Shein. The list goes on.

[@insederec]

Should also add, I never shop at any of these places, with the exception of amazon and only for emergencies or things I can't find in a physical store. I don't buy fast fashion. I don't even buy fashion. My wardrobe comes from good will.

[@BobbsVegine-eg3xz]

It's by design. China had been gathering mass amount of data on western shoppers. In direct competition with stores and businesses withing these countries. It's part of china's plan to be on top no matter what.

[@MrPooleish]

Almost every day growing up, my parents reminded me, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." It astounds me not only that this gets ignored, but that people will defend their Too-Good deal because "it's a really good deal". Thanks for speaking out against these companies.

[@thebingus7243]

i always get shocked by the fact that people throw away clothes. im still styling clothes i bought in 6th grade and im in my second year of college. i dont throw anything away unless its genuinely in a bad state of wear. and anything that i grow out of in terms of style or want, i send it to my relatives in cuba. fast fashion is genuinely repulsive and i hate its culture of wastefulness and gluttony.

[@stickitydoodah]

I have at least one shirt I got when I was like 9 or 10

[@slimecorn]

Still have pajamas from 5th grade like i dont get it

[@KetuMommi]

Same! It just boggles my mind that some people wear their clothes only few times and then throw them away. I wear most of my clothes until there are holes in them, then I just start either wearing them at home or at my summer home while doing some yard work and even after that the holed/ragged clothes will be used as rags for cleaning or smth like that

[@Justcetriyaart]

Still wear stuff from middle and high-school and in my 30s

[@lizryan7451]

I don't have anything quite that old, but I do still own clothes from a store I used to work at that closed years ago! I just can't imagine throwing away a perfectly good piece of clothing that I still like just to keep up with trends

[@recyclinrox]

DUDE TYSM FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS. I was like why tf are we acting like this isn't wish 2.0???

[@TheVirtualObserver]

Imagine if Wish owns Temu through a holding company. How funny would that be? 😅

[@nerdgirl7363]

​@@TheVirtualObserver I would not be surprised 😂

[@mikubrot]

wish + shein = temu

[@ZeldaAndIkeLove]

I've been saying this since TEMU became a thing!! Like they made it so obvious

[@aroset]

The cost of the product is not the cheap price. The cost is someone else's wellbeing and health and security.

[@magiiyoo6715]

Very well put.

[@zoebrugg7594]

Like lithium in electrical car batteries and electrical bicycle batteries, being mined in Africa.

[@helloasa9296]

I think it's more complicated than that. I understand it's hard to believe, but for most people who do these jobs in 3rd world countries. If they lose those jobs. Their life will get worse. I live 6 years in Dubai. Worked at construction sites. My job was tough, but many other worker's job was much tougher. I earn around 700 dollars per month. Life changing money for me. It help me support my parents financially. Able to repair my home well and save some. Some workers were making 400 dollar and they able to support their families well with it. Now if people come in workers support and help make working condition better. Great. It will help with well-being, health and security. But if people who support by making sure they lose their work. That didn't help them. As other person mentioned mining in Africa for electric batteries. Most discussion on those topics ends on how to stop that. Rarely anyone talk about how we going to support miner who lose jobs.

[@AlysaWonderland]

Hahaha I interviewed for a position at Temu's HQ in China where I live, and they asked me so many weird questions, I told them I valued having a good working environment and healthy work/life balance and then I heard back from them that I was rejected 🤣 I hear their Chinese staff works very high stress, 11am-11pm days with only 1 day off for the weekend.

[@AnastasiaDai-l9c]

I just quit my job there and it was like a hell. Glad that you didn't go there.

[@infinityplus1-1]

nah, nobody can leave at 11pm. my work hours were from 11am to 1 or 2 am the next day and six days a week:) my colleague told me that if you work less than 300 hours per month your manager and hr are gonna have a small talk with you. luckily no one had that talk cuz you know the 300 hours goal is so easy to reach🙃

[@AlysaWonderland]

@@AnastasiaDai-l9c Thanks so much for letting me know!

[@AlysaWonderland]

@@infinityplus1-1 yikes! I missed a bullet!

[@namtellectjoonal7230]

sounds like you dodged a bullet there by being rejected 🙈 That sounds like horrible working conditions

[@jules666.]

As a 21 year old disabled person who recently became financially independent from my parents, I absolutely understand not having money and the appeal of cheap clothes. I confess that I bought from fast fashion when I was a young teenager and didn't have income or know any better, but now that I'm an independent adult I prefer to buy secondhand. It's still cheaper than new, way more eco friendly, and more economical. Sure it might not be the "hottest new thing", but vintage is trending, and also when you step out into the real world trendy fashion becomes white noise. Just think- for hundreds of years whole gowns and outfits were hand sewn and a new outfit was a rare luxury for everyone except nobility. I think we would do well as a society to go back to clothing buying being a rarity and learn to repair and take care of our garments instead of discarding them when they are mildly in disrepair or not "trendy" anymore.

[@CompSomAnichi]

This is pretty nice to hear - coz def secondhand is still a good option for cheaper without sacrificing buying from fast fashion, and agreed about following trending stuff

[@KenkoPanda]

Buying second hand in my area sadly is a nightmare, all clothes are priced like they were new even if they're still stained and damaged $14 for a white collar shirt, i just went to a department store next door and got a new one cheaper.😅

[@jules666.]

@@KenkoPanda I buy my secondhand clothes online! Much easier to find what you want.

[@FantabulousFail]

I actually bought a sewing machine over summer and have been learning to taper/alter shirts and hem pants so I can thrift more!! I've also gotten into referbing home decore.

[@vaderladyl]

@@KenkoPanda Yikes! It is expensive for used.

[@AKA253]

I accidentally clicked a Temu ad in my KZbin dashboard while trying to scroll, now I rarely see any ad that ISN’T Temu it’s upsetting how we go through the same cycle of fast fashion being cool and awesome and then being rightfully kicked out of platforms, this cycle is like every month at least.

[@Karishma_Unspecified]

if you go to your Google account, you can probably make that ad go away, when you go to ad personalization. I stopped Uber Eats and DoorDash and others from spam-advertising me, when I was trying to stop my fast-food-addiction - it worked pretty well!

[@hope-cat4894]

I've never clicked on their ads, and I _still_ get ads for them everywhere. Their marketing is aggressive. I saw one channel have a video sponsored by them too.

[@hommefataltaemin]

@@Karishma_Unspecified wow, that’s a good idea! Thanks for sharing :)

[@bethn2836]

Yeah, I've never clicked any of their ads, and I get them CONSTANTLY. Even had one at the start of this video.

[@Cat-fz1uu]

This makes me think of a Drew Gooden video where he said to click on all the ads, click around the website, and never buy anything. The goal being to waste their money on marketing to you when you never intend to shop there. 😆

[@froggy5748]

Tbh I’ve never understood why people buy into fast fashion so much. Maybe it’s just because I grew up poor but I don’t throw away clothes until they get holes in them and I don’t buy new clothes unless I actually need them. It’s a bit different with underwear/bras but generally that’s my rule for buying clothes. I just don’t understand buying stuff just so you can wear it a couple times and throw it away afterwards when there’s so many people in the world who struggle to afford clothes in general.

[@smome777]

I think it also comes with lack of authenticity and sense of self. Fast fashion is good for people who want to present a certain "lifestyle" they can't afford which is why "dupes" are so popular..... People want to "look" rich or want to fit in and I think clothing is the easiest way to "fake it till u make it".

[@KyrenaH]

Even when stuff has holes in it I don't throw it out. That holey or bleach stained t-shirt becomes a night shirt or a rag.

[@Lilyyyyy20588]

Honestly I'd say growing up in poverty might be a big reason why it's so popular. Whilst I don't spend a lot on fast fashion it's easy to get sucked into wanting to purchase a bunch of materialistic goods because you never had access to that stuff when you were younger. Once you get older and have an income of your own it's hard to have control sometimes.

[@Nevae_696]

Wait they throw it away after a few times at least donate them I usually turn my old clothes into doll clothes or a new outfit

[@randomtinypotatocried]

I don't really like buying new clothes so I tend to mend mine unless it's too far gone and then more likely become a rag or part of an art piece

[@kelseywillow8110]

I hate when people ‘declutter’ and then do hauls again. Like there’s nothing wrong with using your big collection of products and being frugal in the future. But throwing things away to buy again is nonsense.

[@ghoulchan7525]

My last art stuff declutter. I checked what still worked or hadn't dried out yet and gave it to the neighbors grandkids. Man i had a lot of erasers i wasn't using. Of course the stuff that was no longer usable i trashed. And the kids' parents don't have to buy them stuff for a while.

[@uglypinkeraser]

I decluttered my workshop studio recently and had like 6 bottles of half cured glue, gave them to a neighbor who loves sniffing glue. And I started with all fresh bottles. Win-Win

[@billh.1940]

It is the American way!

[@Peayou...]

​@@billh.1940 Not my America

[@billh.1940]

@@Peayou... which america? Almost every one I know, especially teens, are like this. Shopping as a hobby.

[@AtrusOranis]

I, myself, have taken TEMU's slogan to heart, and I shop like a billionaire! Which is to say, I don't shop all that often for unnecessary items, keep a budget, and try to afford better, longer lasting products when possible.

[@MsVorpalBlade]

the "shop like a billionaire" slogan is the strangest part to me. NOBODY SHOPS LIKE THIS. Especially billionaires

[@BobbsVegine-eg3xz]

​@@MsVorpalBladeChina through it's years of information gathered on westerners trying to push products to compete and shutdown stores in your country's.

[@yeeyeeyeeye]

I had a coworker who told me the other day that they loved using Temu because of their low prices, and I felt like I was talking to a brick wall when I kept bringing up that it was a worse version of Wish and in order for their prices to be that low, the quality of the product would be poor and there has to be some severe worker exploitation going on behind the scenes. Plus, I have a thing where if something is constantly being advertised to me and it annoys me, the more I will boycott the thing being advertised out of pure spite.

[@habersmashery]

I have the exact same spite-refusal instinct!

[@namtellectjoonal7230]

lol, I often boycott out of spite as well, especially when the ads are annoying af

[@BobbsVegine-eg3xz]

​@@mmm-mmmtrue and not true. Temu and others recent business from china is mainly out in place to shut down mainly American businesses. Many of these came out after the pandemic and after H&M and other stores were boycott and shutdown in china.

[@VeronicAM313]

I'm happy you're talking about Temu because I saw their prices and all I could think was, "They're full of shit. This is Shein but new." As I get older, I'm finding myself looking at buying clothes and things that last longer which is why I'm more interested in vintage clothes as I'm looking at my Torrid clothes that I got in 2004 and the ones I got in 2017/18. Same place but the 2017 have broken down in washing vs the others that are still holding strong.

[@TheVirtualObserver]

I feel you. My parents instilled quality over quantity in me from a young age and while I haven't been quite as responsible as I should, I try to ethically dispose of or give away products I don't use anymore or which are broken beyond repair. I'm also learning how to repair or fix more and more things so I can extend their lifespan.

[@PropsOutProductions]

Except that temu is a marketplace with multiple sellers covering a wide general category instead of just clothing. This is what happens when chronically online people start to believe that what they see online is representative of what others see online.

[@VeronicAM313]

@@PropsOutProductions I was making a comment on how I am looking at things and clothes that last longer and then went into my thing about clothing. I know they sell other things and as I said, the stuff they're making is crap. It won't last and the buyer will have to buy more stuff.

[@snailart14]

​@@PropsOutProductionsif you're a true A'murican and hate snowflakes then buy shit made in the U.S. or local

[@cherrywilson6267]

@@PropsOutProductions some of these comments are to funny.

[@Mourningcrypt]

YESSSSSS! Oh my god I wish more people would just learn it’s okay to be themselves instead of forcing some aesthetic or whatever. “I have to throw out my wardrobe because (aesthetic) isn’t in style now” NO. YOU. DONT. Good lord it’s honestly tragic.

[@ohhmangos]

This is why I only buy the basics for clothing (jeans, plain solid-colored t-shirts, leggings, etc.) and then save up for nice accessories-- it never goes out of style.

[@stardust.7507]

​@@ohhmangos that's the truth right there!! ❤

[@bunnybreaker]

Also just hold onto the clothes long enough and they'll be in fashion again eventually.

[@riskvideos]

Fast fashion industrial complex in a nutshell. The second you realize you've been manipulated, you can find better quality clothes you like at garage sales, swap meets, flea marts, etc. Find your true path.

[@estherstreet4582]

Also,,, trends come back around, you don't have to buy a bunch of new clothes to jump on the latest microtrend. I was working an ecommerce job selling vintage clothing right when "twee" came back in and I had a LOT of fun rearranging a bunch of old clothes into twee outfits. You *definitely* don't need to buy new clothes to dress twee just dig up all the old shit you wore in 2012 :P

[@Senae]

you're actually super allowed to talk about emails people send you if you don't have an ongoing relationship with them! even if there's a note at the bottom of their email saying you're not allowed to!

[@sirtra]

if it's unsolicited then legally yep, but reputation wise it can be a negative and impact future sponsor prospects... just because you can doesn't always mean you should 😉 (i think in this case it's fine tho, not like Amanda would be upset for missing out on a Shein/Wish/Aliexpress sponsorship over it)

[@megz-llamaskar]

I wondered that 😂 Seems like you should definitely be able to read cold emails. If you're that secretive, don't send it 🤷‍♀️

[@gaerekxenos]

Well, it's not a legal document, and there was no NDA attached that was signed...? Obviously it is going to look bad for all people who are considering sponsoring, but hopefully that will only really cut out all of the ones who are insistent and spam rather than people who actually take proper time and consideration before sending a proposal

[@raeganj6744]

My mom found out about Temu and I tried to convince her not to use it by pointing out the unethical practices that would have to go into making the t shirts she was going to buy for $7 and she just said “well that’s their problem over in China. I don’t care” and bought them anyway and kept trying to convince me to get something

[@namtellectjoonal7230]

wow, talk about lack of empathy...

[@zafa1055]

​@@namtellectjoonal7230really 🙁

[@Farimira]

Shien's response made me think the 'help me' labels might not be a hoax

[@mlorpf]

right? they could have just said that it's impossible to prove that the message was written by their workers and not tiktokers trying to discredit them or go viral...

[@knitwit9447]

Unfortunately I ended up buying some stuff from shein because I needed a cheap wardrobe fast. My house burned down and just about everything was destroyed, so I had very little in the way of clothing. Thrift stores in my area are usually kind of expensive and we were splitting up any clothes donations we got between me, my mom, and my younger sibling, so I didn't have much. I haven't shopped there since and I only did it because I didn't really see another way to get clothes that fit me and weren't way too expensive. It's nice to also have clothes that *I* picked, as I didn't (and still dont) have a lot of stuff that I chose and enjoy. I'm so thankful for the clothes donations but damn is it nice to be able to really pick my own style of clothing. Regardless, now that I'm out of that really dire situation, I don't plan on buying from any of those shops unless something puts me in another situation similar. Now that I have supplies, I can use relatively cheap yarn to crochet and knit shirts that fit my style and aren't ridiculously expensive

[@Siriastimeflies]

Don't feel bad about what you did to get over a terrible situation! I'm glad you're better now and can follow your ethics as well as your tastes 😊

[@reagan271]

Oh my gosh, that might be the best reason I've heard someone buy from fast fashion, seriously. I don't think anyone would judge you for buying cheap clothes when you lost all of yours. That must have been such a challenging time for you and I hope you are doing better. Also as someone who knits my own clothes to be sustainable, I'm loving Knitting For Olive CottonMerino yarn right now. It's like $7 per 250m. Not as cheap as craft store acrylic, but super sustainable and great for summer!

[@knitwit9447]

@Reagan White Thank you! As cute as I find some of the stuff from shein, I also know with some effort and time, I can make something better quality. I knit as well, and I'll definitely try out the yarn brand you mentioned! It gets really hot and humid where I live, so acrylic is absolutely not something I can wear out unless it has a lot of large openings in the design lol

[@knitwit9447]

@るっしー Thank you 😊 It was really tough, but I'm so glad I'm able to get back to making my own clothing and accessories. I've got time to knit winter gear for my family now!

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

Yea that was just a terrible situation. As others said. Dont feel guilty. You did what you had to stay clothed

[@lilychoux]

Absolutely agreed - I avoid all of these types of companies because a lot of them have stolen from artists/small businesses without any regard for the people whose livelihoods they're damaging.

[@ravenpotter3]

Also often a ton of their sticker or pin designs are stolen! It’s a major issue in the art community of pins especially being stolen.

[@shannonceleste5557]

@Wonderlandqueen what?

[@LarrietDarling]

I appreciate this so much. I'm so tired of over consumption and "haul culture". Bring back made-to-order things! De-stigmatize outfit repeating! Instant gratification 24/7 is breaking peoples' brains. Also, these companies are using toxic chemicals in their fabrics and dyes. Just no.

[@shannonceleste5557]

Is 'outfit repeating' really stigmatized though? Idk any adults who are against wearing the clothes they already own... Is that actually a thing irl? Wearing clothes is the point of owning them lol

[@LarrietDarling]

​@Wonderlandqueen "Scientists found that a jacket for toddlers, purchased from Shein, contained almost 20 times the amount of lead that Health Canada says is safe for children. A red purse, also purchased from Shein, had more than five times the threshold." --From a CBC News article. I also don't shop at Forever 21.

[@TheVirtualObserver]

@@shannonceleste5557 Some people genuinely do, although they tend to be influencers or people who base way too much of their personality off of influencers so they have other problems to deal with as well.

[@butterflyfairy6730]

@@shannonceleste5557 I think it kind of is. Idk where I internalized not being able to wear the same nice dress during the holidays because you know there will be pictures taken, but I have bought new items for that exact reason. :\ Definitely something I should personally overcome.

[@nine9nine9]

​@@shannonceleste5557 definitely in the office. Males can wear the same suit every day, but it's odd for females to repeat more them every few weeks

[@sallyversace]

Not only do they do the exact opposite of encouraging mindful consumption, but their marketing is absolutely everywhere! Besides every social media platform, I see their ads on news outlets, recipe blogs, and even mobile games. Also, thank you for not buying anything for this video. So often I see people making videos that are essentially "this company is bad so I bought $200 worth of things to show and advertise to you".

[@VelociraptorAnimations]

They even turn people into living ads. They tell people that they will get cool stuff if they text 10 or whatever people to buy temu, forcing them into scams.

[@miriamhavard7621]

🤮 awful.

[@jgclairee]

"you know what else is fun? your own identity" was crazy

[@Dolleemixtures]

A note on the cross necklace that you "can buy anywhere". It's likely the same necklace, literally the same necklace made in the same factory, marked up and packaged for a different company. This is everywhere. Loads of things are just private labelled. Amazon in the UK is awful for this recently. Just because something is in a physical store at a higher price doesn't mean it was made in a more ethical way

[@slylover123]

I'm trying to learn this as well which keeps me coming back to these apps-i like the feelings of beatingbthe middle man

[@janeefritz3902]

I remember that I went from never having heard anything about Temu then out of nowhere I couldn’t escape their advertising. Anytime I looked up something I wanted to buy a Temu google ad would be at the top of the page. Anytime I watched a KZbin video a Temu ad would play in the preroll. So they clearly spent TONS of money on their advertising to try and get more exposure to those of us who don’t use tik toc.

[@bethn2836]

My husband and I were just discussing Temu a couple of nights ago. We came to the conclusion that for their prices to be that low (and with free shipping), then somewhere along the line, people are being exploited. They're obviously full of crap by claiming otherwise.

[@gonzos-twin]

Yes the customer is the product. It's a Chinese company that is running in the US. Citizens are doxxing and giving up payment info with real addresses in exchange for CHEAP GARBAGE

[@Lily-pe8ml]

At that point it's not just people being exploited, I would not trust the things they make either.

[@wohdinhel]

“Somewhere” being “everywhere”

[@bethn2836]

@@wohdinhel I like your wording better. I didn't want to overstate, but yeah, I doubt any part of their business is ethical or sustainable.

[@Eibarwoman]

I think there's more than just exploitation, there's outright scams on there.

[@hee-hoo5672]

Temu seems like it’s just a slightly more ✨aesthetic✨ wish. I personally use wish/Temu/shein as an inspiration catalog to look through and IF I find something that I think is cute or would love to have, then I know what to keep an eye out for at nearby stores or what to look for on trusted sites.

[@alistairrosehearts9734]

I used to stalk wish for weird items, looking for the most bizarre items I could find just to laugh at them. Tempted to do that with Temu.

[@hee-hoo5672]

@@alistairrosehearts9734 I mean that’s a given with apps like that😂 they have some interesting stuff for sure

[@hannz_bananz]

​@@alistairrosehearts9734 I do that aswell and once I found a thing for w33d on the temu website just casually

[@FerraticaTheBard]

I think at this point any company like Temu reaching out to Amanda and going, "We think you're a great fit for our brand!

[@Vicky-Hugh-Martini]

There is always something scummy about these companies.

[@cashnelson2306]

It's the capitalism

[@NIRDIAN1]

You can almost smell the Sweat from their Sweatshops on it.

[@BDBD16]

Thats an old ass dodge logo.

[@memymomalex]

@@cashnelson2306 businesses making a profit is good for the individual and good for the economy, but it's important for businesses to ask 'at what cost am i seeking a profit.' they would still profit if they acted more environmentally, and respected their workers, they just wouldn't have as absurdly high a profit. It just requires people to care more about how they conduct business instead of being so focused on squeezing as much profit as they can.

[@memymomalex]

@@cashnelson2306 But Swell is right too that we have an overconsumption problem. The reason these companies price so low is that people are unwilling to pay more, even if it means paying for something that was made ethically and will last the test of time. I paid over $200 for a toaster, but it's handmade in the UK with metal parts that can be repaired. It's a lot, but i'm never going to have to buy another toaster again. And the name of the person who assembled my toaster is on the bottom. That to me is capitalism done right. The problem is, others would think it's absurd to pay $200 for a toaster because China will sell them a $20 toaster made with plastic parts by people making slave wages. Until people are willing to care about the workers, and pay what something is really worth, then we won't see change.

[@MonolithicMonotone]

I work in a SMALL mail sorting facility and across the past month there's been a HUGE increase in the amount of Temu packages coming through. At the beginning of April it was only a few each day, now it's 70+ and increasing everyday. 😬

[@starveilvalley]

That's so upsetting :(

[@Stephanie-we5ep]

I sometimes pitch in and help my mail lady deliver mail. At a minimum we have have 10-12 Temu packages every day. Now I live in an unincorporated area so that may not sound like a lot, but 10 packages (with no slow down in sight) every single day that works out to a *lot* of customers!

[@blondie12093]

Temu is actually a pyramid scheme targeted at a younger audience. My school has gone mad with it because of its new discount where if you forward the app to 10 people and those 10 people accept and create an account the original person will receive about £80 worth of products for free. It's so scary.

[@forleung]

That’s how the original company succeeded in China. It is so annoying since people of all ages are doing this, but luckily since I don’t have many friends I’m not harassed by these types of referrals.

[@justanothersadkid6957]

a small handful of my family members, one of whom i live with, are literally addicted to temu. when i check the mail with my dog there’s almost daily an orange temu bag waiting in the mailbox. for literal hours they’ll be scrolling on the app and adding to their carts and wondering where the time has gone. it kinda makes me sad honestly because the family member i live with is an older adult and we’re just barely able to make ends meet and live sorta comfortably in our current home and watching the addiction firsthand truly is something. i hope this app is a short lived fad and ends up crashing and burning into obscurity

[@Manticorn]

The prevalence of Temu ads seems comparable to that of Betterhelp. They spend hundreds of millions on ads.

[@k80_]

I think the class angle is really important here. That wedding (not sure who the people getting married even are but congrats I guess) probably had more environmental impact that a thousand temu hauls. However the people buying dozens of temu items a month are still probably not working class either. I for one cannot afford a $200 shopping spree and most hourly workers probably can’t either. This is an instance of the rich imitating the super rich and that’s something that’s really important to remember

[@aejones233]

two girls at my school were shopping on shein/temu yesterday and also discussing jobs. one was talking about how she wanted a paying job-- not one that was $2 an hour. and then she said "is it illegal to pay people below minimum wage?" the whole convo made me want to throw up. we're 17-18 year olds and you're so privileged you don't even know how human rights laws work??? to make it worse, you're upset about how YOU might not get paid well while shopping on SHEIN????

[@xchrysantha]

@@aejones233 Even just reading your comment turned my stomach. It's such a clear depiction of what's happening today. It boils down to pure ignorance and lack of awareness for other people. If anything, something needs to be done about the education these kids are getting.

[@aejones233]

@@xchrysantha we're one of the best schools in the state. these 2 girls just happen to not pay attention most days. even so, the view is always biased as it's a Christian school. :(

[@anahnnemus5187]

Their tag line shop like a billionaire sealed the deal on me not ever using that site. Granted, I don't use wish, shien, aliexpress or anything like that. But I just can't see billionaires buying crap. Even if some of it is good billionaires also aren't going to sift through it to find what's usable. Oh, and the part of the ad where they show the behind the scenes at the factory and the worker is smiling and lifting up a product is gross.

[@theecharmingbilly]

Shop like a billionaire!! Yeah, I can't afford a personal assistant. 🤣

[@EnbyFranziskaNagel]

​@@theecharmingbilly Thankfully I have a personal assistant. I am autistic and shopping for cloths is really overwhelming for me so I invite my sister to help me.

[@aSpectrumofDorky]

I remember reading somewhere a quote that loosely went like this: Minimalism is a rich lifestyle. If I was a billionaire, I would definitely have a big empty white room with a red couch and a tiny bookshelf that looks like modern art. Not a million little trinkets, decorations, etc.

[@fanime1]

Yes! I always hated that part of the ad. It felt so dystopian.

[@Peayou...]

​@@aSpectrumofDorky You arent supposed to trash everything either but I get your point

[@Chilie5678]

They're like Wish in my eyes. When I first saw them my main thought was "how secure is there site" and being worried about credit card information leaking

[@marlenaznumbah1]

Im plus sized and desperately wanted a pair of extremely ripped jeans, so i bought them on Shein. That was about 4 years ago and i still wear them at least once a week. I can't imagine buying clothes just to throw them out in a few months, even if they are ethically made

[@moonlady3000]

Yeah, I sometimes buy shein because they have decent plus sized stuff for cheap. But I still have and use all the stuff I bought like.... Three years ago? I can't imagine letting go of a piece of clothing until it is completely unbearable.

[@oceanlizard]

I started getting temu ads about a month ago. Im getting a degree in communications. A major part of it is marketing and advertising.... immediately recognized it for what it was. The trend of these apps are extremely concerning.

[@sharpe15_2]

You only need a brain to know that Temu is a shithole, not a marketing and advertising degree

[@sorensharp4377]

advertising major here--literally same

[@pinkdarkman]

I will never understand fast fashion or the fashion industry in general. I still own and wear clothes from when I was 14 and I'm 27. I treat myself by buying a new pair of pants or shirt or a jacket every once in a while, but it's a treat like once or twice a year and I fully expect to wear the item for at least 10 years. I know some people are more into clothes, but if you're so into fashion that you buy new stuff every month, you might as well learn to sew and just make your own stuff. I know how to sew, cuz I cosplay and also because I patch up and repair my clothes. We really need to start teaching kids how to sew in school again, since clothing repair is essential for sustainability. Don't even get me started on the working conditions in clothing factories, I'm sure it's hellish.

[@kelseywillow8110]

Thrift shopping is also very affordable, there’s no need to buy a denim jacket at a store or online..some materials last a long time. You can buy it really cheap, get the vintage clothing items and second hand markets. It takes some creativity but it’s a nice adventure. Especially with Y2K trends right now people should really want to go get vintage items, it makes no sense to buy new things online if there’s still so much of the style out there.

[@kelseywillow8110]

@Wonderlandqueen fast Fashion usually doesn’t even have the right quality. You will need to buy more which costs more. It’s an illusion and people who make the clothes are treated poorly. It’s not ethical, it’s good to be aware of it and think of alternatives

[@shannonceleste5557]

@Wonderlandqueen hope you get the mental and emotional help that you seem to need 💜 no one is judging you or hating you- we are participating in a respectful public discourse online

[@marcymolo2270]

​​@Wonderlandqueen I am poor, still thrift stores and second hand shops exist, you seem to be upset that people are critizing fast fashion that you use because you feel as if they're insulting you but that's not the case. You are still the problem, finding excuses to use such apps and people are talking about it.

[@marcymolo2270]

​@Wonderlandqueen There are also online thrift stores so you have no excuse. No one is hating on you.Not to mention shien is filled with bad chemicals.

[@TsunamiRX]

Temu has been being a plague on my KZbin ad space recently since they came to Australia and I knew from the the get go it’s too good to be true and am glad SOMEONE is talking about it!

[@dell8767]

Oh good, finally! I'm so tired of seeing their ads! Thanks for making this video! "Shopping like a billionaire" and living like a broken-aire 😅

[@suebear119]

I have an aunt who is obsessed currently with temu. She told me she’s amazed by how cheap everything is and has no idea how they could possibly sell their stuff at such low prices. But the answer is really not that hard to figure out. It’s sweat shop labor with mass exploitation of workers. Some people really just have no idea 😕

[@lucyla9947]

When it comes to cheap products the Staff Wages, Quality, and/or Company Profit needs to go down to make the product cheaper. And it will almost never be Profit.

[@bakaichigo]

Every day I get a little more convinced we should be mainly making our own clothing and buying only high-quality pieces for other-than-daily needs... Most people could keep up with the trends far more easily and cheaply if they MADE their own. Mia Maples has been doing a great job of showing off how easily these fashions AND bigger brands can be made, along with some other sewtubers like Micarah Tewers

[@moon1749]

When I get some money together, I'm going to JoAnne's (or however it was meant to be spelled), buy some black, green or blue fabric, break out the sewing maching or needles and go to town making my own dresses that would fit my tall, fatter body😆 And at the same time learn how to be productive and focus in something, because I am so scatter brained. Okay, I'll go back in my little hobbit hole made of blankets. Bye🎆

[@onbearfeet]

​@@moon1749As someone who's been sewing dresses to fit her own "nonstandard" body for a couple of decades, I strongly advise you to take some sewing/tailoring lessons if you haven't already. You'll be much less frustrated with your process and much more satisfied with your results. (Also, I love your color choices! That's a lot of my closet too. What kind of designs are you thinking about?)

[@moon1749]

@@onbearfeet oh, I'm totally going to check out classes, even if I know how. Better being safe than sorry after all😅 And I was thinking just some big circle skirt dresses (high to low or just regular) and long sleeves. Nothing really that special.

[@glamglam8347]

girl aint no one got time for that. temu is fast and cheap and I'm poor and overworked. bffr.

[@ShaCaro]

Sure. Are you going to pay for the sewing machine, fabrics, threads, patterns, time, and electricity I need to make clothes? Fabrics alone are already too expensive to make your statement true.

[@longlivebeans]

I successfully steered my mom away from Temu & into a thrift shop last week.

[@TheVirtualObserver]

Hooray! 🥳

[@victoriam9242]

🎉

[@empressfreya9872]

Being a plus size goth girly makes resisting fashion trends so easy. Like, yeah, I think those outfits are gorgeous and I think the people in them are gorgeous. But I'd never wear them myself so I stick to the one trend I like, which is high-waisted black clothing

[@kelseywillow8110]

Black clothing is such a good idea though also because it’s very versatile. Same with denim.

[@PancakeLottie]

I feel this 😅😅😢 my goth on a budget wardrobe is thrift store + rit dye 😅😂

[@maggiem6209]

High waists are gorgeous on everyone and insanely stylable! Good for you, girl. 🦇

[@lainiwakura1776]

DYI is like goth and punk basics, I hear.

[@fighttheevilrobots3417]

This is so relatable. Nothing ever fits me so I just rip my black t shirt a little more lol

[@saltiestsiren]

I'm so glad somebody finally brought up Temu lol. I've been positively bombarded by their ads, and I recognized them for what they were without even visiting their app or website: a Wish ripoff.

[@Zach-qs2bw]

Same here idk what I clicked on but I've been getting absolutely carpet bombed and totally agree there's something about this type of business that you can smell coming from a mile away it's in everything about there marketing and design

[@emilymann1175]

Also, lately even old navy and stores like that as well now have clothes made of the thinnest fabric ever. Its so horrible and cheap, you can practically see through it and it wears out in like two seconds. Ive been sewing my own clothes as a result, (wait for a sale at like joanns fabrics) and i even had a pair of my favorite wool socks get a hole, and i freaking darned the hole up!!! Yes, i darned a sock in 2023!!!! Gotta love youtube tutorials!!

[@bendietrees]

Huh that's weird. I've been wearing their active plus size leggings for 1.5 years and they are still in excellent condition

[@EveLavellan]

FINALLY SOMEONE IS COMING OUT GOING IN ON TEMU! I'm so tired of their ads and have thought about making some videos about it even though I have no audience at all. This is very important stuff and I'm so glad an established creator is talking about it. It's another Shien.

[@lisahoshowsky4251]

I’m thankful that you mentioned the people who are buying pieces here and there to add to their wardrobe and wear more than once are not the problem. It’s disheartening to hear people rip others apart because they shop with these brands because it’s all they can afford and they deserve to have some pieces that make them feel happy and confident too. Should you try to avoid them, yes but it’s extremely hard to shop ethically these days especially when dealing with extremely tight budgets and high costs of living. Even shopping at Walmart, target, Marshall’s, the dollar store, etc you’re definitely supporting unethical business practices, it’s very hard to get away from that. Even high end brands are using it, more money on an item doesn’t mean it came form ethical practices all along the line. Then I always see people argue, “well don’t buy these items and save that money for a single more expensive ethical piece” when you can’t budget your way out of poverty. You can’t save your money and buy one nice shirt later when you need a shirt now. It’s the same fallacy of “it’s cheaper to buy in bulk because it lasts longer and costs less in the long run” but if you can’t afford that upfront cost of bulk in the first place you’re SOL. I’m tired of certain people shitting on customers instead of those who are responsible for us being forced to make these choices in our consumer, commercialized, capitalist society. These fast fashion online stores are a huge problem but they are the symptom of a bigger issue and the people who buy a couple items from them that bring them joy aren’t to blame. Just to clarify, I’m 100% not in support of giving money to these companies but I’ve seen just ordinary people get dragged for buying from them when I think a, “hey just so you know that item is so cheap because their business practices are unethical” would suffice over some of the disgusting hurtful and hateful comments I’ve seen directed at a regular person who bought like two items because they thought they were cute and didn’t know. While I think we all probably know why things are so cheap we are often quite distanced from the process of how anything we consume; food, beauty products, clothes, etc is made that it’s easy to forget or not want to look to deeply into it because it is hard to avoid. Anyways, thanks for or coming to my Tedtalk, this got way to long TLDR, be kind to your fellow human, be mad at the institutions and companies instead

[@osehietomi123]

i went into zara the other day to buy a button down shirt for work, it was $60 for one shirt! And even with that price point zara is still considered fast fashion. i dont blame anyone who needs to shop at h&m and shein if thats what they can afford

[@bioluminescentlyunfolding5716]

@@osehietomi123 Yeah, I was really shocked to hear Zara counts as fast fashion - to me that is a bit upmarket, somewhere I'd have to budget for. I hadn't thought they would be in that category of having exceptionally dodgy practices.

[@Justaperson354]

Not to mention that you can’t buy from thrift stores anymore as any vintage or high in item is taken by resellers as well as because of resellers most thrift stores are maybe a couple cents cheaper than buying new! Fast fashion is all that’s left in thrift stores anyway

[@Burbowantsahug]

I remember earlier this year I was getting ads for Temu’s $2.59 headphones. And I was like “scam” and continued to ignore it

[@mmmahh9056]

Funnily enough, I _just_ got an ad for Temu. They're watching!

[@winterburden]

Are you shopping like a billionaire?

[@mmmahh9056]

​@@winterburden Shopping better than Elon Musk

[@ayajade6683]

Their ads play on everything and the algorithm will especially place them in what they think are about the topic. It's like MLM ads on anti MLM content it just means they're wasting money on people who know it's a bad company

[@TheVirtualObserver]

👀

[@sarahdiehl2672]

As soon as I saw my first Temu ad, It was obvious it’s the lowest of lows of fast fashion. Reminds me of wish

[@Kdanigreen]

The minute I started to get Temu ads on my Facebook, I basically saw it as shein 2.0. I’m a university student in the U.K. I’ve seen the channel 4 paranormal documentary on shein and turned my back on shein after that. I used to shop at H&M and Zara quite a bit and the occasional Primark. Now i get so much of my clothes on Vinted and it has been the most awesome discovery. I own clothes from expensive brands like Urban Outfitters and it’s all second hand. I’ve never bought anything from there expect a bag on sale otherwise! Obviously sometimes you need to give yourself a break about buying something small and wanting it to be new or let’s say trousers which aren’t always as easy to predict how well they’ll fit you. It depends on personal preference. There’s only so much you can do❤️ I’ve met people who are completely ignorant about the shein situation and won’t acknowledge it; with someone I met thinking the underpaid and overworked workers are just too lazy to go find another job. It’s infuriating but all that matters is that you act as sustainable and ethically as you can ✨

[@aubrey9048]

amanda can never turn off the screen dimmer on her desktop because her reaching behind and waking it back up has become a part of her brand

[@zoinks2607]

I keep getting ads for them with the slogan "shop like a billionaire" and dead ass could not figure out what that meant because I imagine no billionaire does their own shopping, ever. It took me a few reels to realize they meant "buy a lot of things."

[@becauseimafan]

😂 Same here!

[@lisahoshowsky4251]

I love how your reason for covering it is so they stop “harassing” you about doing a sponsor ship deal😆 this is peak swell entertainment reasoning!🙌

[@lissastargazer]

Never used Temu, it gave me a really bad feeling from how it blew up out of nowhere to how it was primarily promoted on Instagram which is notorious for having scam ads.This video confirms what I thought all along.

[@kdc.archive]

I got a temu ad on this video, I get a temu ad on every video. They are single handedly making me contemplate KZbin premium omg

[@LizzieBelina]

I am probably the worst client for TEMU because I end up buying business supplies that I know are on Alibaba that I can't afford the bulk buy of. I literally compare the two which sounds shitty because Alibaba is just as bad, but I'm sitting here with ten dollars to my name at any time. But as soon as you interact with TEMU they send you so much shit. I try not to buy from Shein or TEMU in general, but it's still tempting. I get that. They rise because we are desperate for that "look" and to feel worth more (even tho worth is such a ridiculous word for it). So corporate greed takes advantage of us wanting cheap things and then go about it by hurting more people. But them saying they don't have money while also having a Super Bowl ad. THAT is ridiculous.

[@shannonceleste5557]

May I ask what is so necessary for you to buy from these types of sites when you're down to your last $10? Genuinely curious- there is support out there for small business owners if you need it. Please feel free to reach out

[@LizzieBelina]

@@shannonceleste5557 binding supplies usually. But like I said I tend to try to avoid it when I can. I'm networking locally too.

[@macgargan]

The fact that there was a Temu ad right before this

[@erinmaidensfx892]

I’ve purchased from Temu one time so far. They had the sign on promotion for the mini washing machine, and as someone who a.) doesn’t have a vehicle to go to the laundromat b.) is very low income and c.) doesn’t have an accessible laundry facility, I figured I’d risk the $6 to see if it was legit. It works just fine, saves me time from having to hand wash things in a pinch and I don’t have to worry about having my clothes that I can’t afford to replace get destroyed in the broken down washer and dryer in my building’s laundry room. If I was paid a living wage I wouldn’t have to resort to sites like Temu, but until then I’m thankful I can get my basic needs met.

[@Justaperson354]

I use old plastic bags from grocery shopping and from online shopping in my art. In fact my neighbors know this and they give me their plastic! I hope more people will start finding a use for these items. If you too would like to use it in art a great way to start is use it in armature’s for air dry clay sculptures:)

[@tropezando]

Good idea! I cut it up into plastic yarn (plarn) and give it to my mom to crochet. I used to get a lot of bags from having my meds delivered, but my pharmacy has since switched to mainly boxes.

[@GhostsGraveyard]

I would like to add on that Temu tricks you with sales and coupons. They make a big deal of showing you "oh this order would have been so expensive if you hadn't gotten it on sale! Expensive stuff isn't fast fashion! But you're getting it for cheap because you just happened to open the website when a big sale was happening and we gave you a coupon :)"

[@jennifermoriarty2188]

That's normal consuming

[@jaesynn2015]

Gentle reminder to check your phone every now and then for apps that you did not download. My spouse and I both found Temu (among a couple other apps) on our phones, and we certainly did not put it there. Ghost downloading onto people's devices would certainly help feed the "wow, we have so many downloads!" narrative.

[@elizabethstein9698]

That's concerning.

[@quit3118]

Oh my god!

[@imzesok]

Yeah, that's not a thing that happens. Literally ever. It might be time to interrogate your kiddos, if you have any. inb4 "mY kIds WoUlD nEvEr!", yes, yes they would. You would be stunned at the things they do behind your back, don't be that naïve. An alternative explanation, though unlikely, is your phones OEM(manufacturer) pushed it to your device in an OTA update, because they engaged in partnerships with the company(this is generally only a thing with cheaper brands like ZTE). The only other alternative explanation is you haven't been careful about what you install yourself, and got yourself an app that has permissions to download other apps. Daily security reminder: Software, does not install or remove itself without help from an outside source(regardless of device). Things like junk/memory cleaners, and antivirus aren't things you need on your phones, are mostly fake anyway and tend to engage in this very type of behavior. Just don't, not even once. You can force stop apps running to clear up memory under the apps section of settings on android, you really don't need them. Also be careful of what you install and only install from the phone's app store be it the google play store or the apple app store. Also remember to read over the permissions of the app before choosing to install it. Almost nothing should need anything more than network, audio(mic), video(cam), storage access, and maybe running in the background(I really don't like this permission for most things but a lot of apps require it). if it's asking for anything more skip it, it's not the app for you.

[@jaesynn2015]

@@imzesok What I meant by "ghost downloading" would include nearly everything you listed. All I said was that I did not download them myself followed by a hyperbolic, half-joking assumption that apps like Temu pad their download numbers. And if they're piggybacking off of other apps or providers/manufacturers to install onto your phone, padding their numbers is exactly what they're doing. Clearly it's not as simple as these apps adding themselves, no third parties involved, to your phone. I guess I thought that was obvious. And no kiddos to be found around these parts, unless they're ghosts, then that clearly falls under "ghost downloading" too. Also, love the "Don't be naïve." Who are you talking to there? The imaginary me that has kids? 😆 Lots of assumptions made about a stranger within your lengthy response. But go off.

[@imzesok]

@@jaesynn2015 You have to remember that most people are in fact, stupid and/or gullible. There's a large number of people, especially on the internet, that will take the post people mean in jest, at precisely face-value, and freak out. take the first two responses to your comment for example. Since text doesn't convey tone very well, if at all, we have to make it abundantly clear when it comes to jokes and sarcasm. My response, was just a large general disclaimer basically saying "yeah, don't take this claim remotely seriously". Yes, you really do have to spell it out for these people through use of things like tone indicators like /s(sarcasm) /j(joking), etc. It's one of the few good things reddit culture has given us. 😞

[@lindsayschmidt2177]

I had never heard of Temu before this and it seems to have (almost) all of the same red flags Shein does, which I have never and will never buy from, so I plan on never giving Temu any business either. I think the fast fashion industry is so dangerous not only for the climate but for human rights as well. It’s so disappointing to me to see a usually socially conscious generation such as Gen Z fall for predatory companies like Shein.

[@morethan1]

Temu is in the video title. We're all going to get Temu ads, lads

[@themumblingdumpling2838]

AdBlock has entered the chat

[@lekiscool]

The most frustrating part about cheap stuff, is if you can only afford fast fashion… they effing fall a part so quickly. The whole “is it expensive to be poor?”

[@yournamehere100]

Saw this in my recommended and thought "I'll just watch it later". Then I got a bunch of temu ads and was like "oh, we DO need to talk about temu"

[@jsas2047]

I'll admit I do buy from Shein because they have clothes I actually like. I'm very specific about my clothes, I'm plus size and only wear midi skirts. Shein has this one skirt I absolutely love and they just keep remaking them in different prints. I also have 5 of the same shein t-shirts and I wear them almost every day. They're the only things I feel fully comfortable in and I can't find anything like it in stores around me. On top of that I have an autoimmune skin disorder, I can't wear wool or linen or most other environment friendly fabrics. I can only wear very soft cotton and polyester, because they don't get stuck in my wounds and hurt me further. Even if I start sewing my own clothes, the fabric won't be any more environmentally friendly. And like you said, I am actually wearing these clothes. I bought my first of their skirt in 2020 and I still wear it at least once or twice a week. If it ever rips I'll see it together again. I will not throw it out until it's completely falling apart and beyond repair.

[@teomda2975]

I'm sad that given the state our environment is in, companies like this keep popping up. AliExpress, Wish, Shein, Amazon, it's enough really

[@RedXiongmao]

I am currently shopping for a very specific clothing item and encountered Temu for the first time, thank you for warning me

[@texcritters]

temu has helped me still make art while unemployed because a lot of their items are affordable art supplies, but i agree that they are mainly used for overconsumption of unnecessary items. i try not to rely on them too heavily but if i can’t thrift an item i will order it through them.

[@Luke-me8cf]

Remember when shien had influencers go to a fake factory that was pristine and had good labor practices that was crazy

[@WallebyDamned]

"Our improved manufacturing process is that we go to the alibaba factories and sweep up product from their production floor."- probably Temu

[@hannahfanning9585]

I am continually impressed by Amanda's integrity and compassion

[@JohannaDeutschman]

Went thrifting yesterday and saw so many pieces of Shein clothing throughout the women’s section.

[@TheYoungKilljoy]

Right? I have been avoiding fast fashion because it is expensive for me and also, the pieces are so low quality that I would be compelled to buy clothes more frequently just to replace them... Which makes no sense, and now they're everywhere

[@estherstreet4582]

I volunteer in a charity shop and we get a lot of unwanted shein/boohoo/asos clothing, people don't even bother returning it. Unfortunately I think a lot of it gets damaged very quickly and just ends up in landfill, at least charity shops allow it to be worn by *someone* for a little while and people can decide if they like the material before they buy. The only shein item I own is one of those oversized shirt jackets that I found in a charity shop. It's the thinnest, shittiest corduroy fabric I've ever seen, but I was able to know that before I bought it and decided I wanted it as a lightweight jacket.

[@Guru_1092]

I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMPANY'S NAME IS PRONOUNCED!!! is it "T - Moo" "or is it "Temu". WHICH ONE IS IT GODDAMNIT!!! IT'S INCONSISTANT!!!

[@em_eye]

Just dropping in to say how much I appreciate this video. I know it can be risky to take on big companies like this and to directly tell people that no, it's not morally acceptable to buy massive amounts of cheaply made, unsustainable, unethical products, but it's so important to see people pushing back on the normalization of this consumer culture. I really admire your content.

[@hannaschwartz5394]

Shouldve mentioned the games. I feel thats where most of the downloads come from. That's definitely why I downloaded it at first - because my friends begged me to so they "could win." I feel like they're so needy with ads because most ppl download it to appease that one friend and never actually use it so they may not be as popular as they seem to be based on downloads.

[@raquelnunes9793]

Omg thank you. Im in the UK and lately i have been bombarded with adds by them!!!!

[@ann-gt4hh]

I shopped at Shien a lot early 2020 bc I gained weight so my old clothes didn’t fit me anymore. I had to rebuild my whole wardrobe, which is not easy. Shien was cheap and easy, but as time went on I kept being disappointed at the quality (which yeah what did I expect) and eventually I turned to Target and more specialized slow fashion sites like Foxblood, tomboy X, and superfithero. It’s taking time, but slowly I’m building a wardrobe full of staples and good quality clothes I love and will want to wear forever. From everything I bought from shien, I have maybe five things left I still wear. (Many times I ordered they didn’t accept returns so I had to donate whatever clothes didn’t fit or irritated my skin. Everything else has either broke or worn out.)

[@luckystoller6171]

i enjoy rescuing beautiful handwork from thrift shops. People put dozens or even hundreds of hours into needlework, crochet, cross stitch, etc. and using them with respect for all that went into them is a joy.

[@latoyaferguson3566]

Goodness every time I watch your videos I wonder to myself why aren’t I watching the daily throughout the day? I wish that I had half of your intellect and ability to store the intellect that you have. I wish that I was more passionate at an earlier age!! I have seen this ad everywhere. I have a couple of cousins that buy from this ad or a place and I will be sending your video to them and also re-watching your video to write down some Keynote to round it out like you did and make it clear to her and him thank you thank you thank you.

[@syntext]

Thank God for this video, I was so off-put by them actually writing "I feel so rich" in a song about shopping.

[@skyler2020]

I REALLY appreciate you putting the snippets of the articles on screen so I can read it while you talk about it. It makes the video so much easier to follow. Great job!

[@chrisblake4198]

That Fashion Week Daily article sounds like corporate promotional material more than actual journalism. Willing to bet it's a paid article (under the table if not openly)

[@emmaella7163]

I’ve been (inconsistently) seeing ads for temu and I’d been thinking about looking it up so thanks for the reality check!

[@ZoraTheberge]

The real problem with Shein is the amount of product they transport by Air. Shipping (by boat) from Asia to the Port of LA takes two weeks. That is just too much time for Shein to be able to capitalize on Social Media-driven microtrends. Air transit is far worse for the environment. The real problem is that now this market exists, we can’t unscramble the egg. I went to a conference recently where a former Walmart exec suggested that factories on this continent (including probably Mexico) could be built to meet these flex demands.