Can You Really Buy a Birkin Direct From a Chinese Factory?

With growing fears around tariffs and an ongoing trade war with China, Chinese manufacturers have pitched American consumers an enticing proposal: Buy iconic goods from us and save money by cutting out the middleman.

These suppliers took over TikTok last week, flooding For You pages with viral videos about where to source your favorite products from Lululemon, Hermès, Birkenstock, and more. Many of the videos have been removed, but the message has stuck with American consumers.

Some viewers have vowed to buy from these manufacturers in an attempt to stick it to big Western brands—but what are they actually buying? Experts say consumers should be aware of the risks when going straight to suppliers because many people lack the knowledge to make informed choices.

What are manufacturers claiming?

Suppliers on TikTok have claimed to make everything for your favorite brands: Birkenstock sandals, Hermès Birkin bags, Lululemon activewear.

Some manufacturers said that these iconic products are mostly assembled in China and finished with logos elsewhere, allowing the brands to claim that their garments are made in the US or Europe. So if you want something, they have it—without the logo—for a fraction of the price. In this economy, who can resist a bargain?

One viral video, from a now-removed account called @senbags2, featured a man breaking down the cost of the raw materials—including a leather hide, thread, hardware, edge oil, lambskin lining, zippers—and labor that go into a Birkin bag. He claimed that Hèrmes charges $38,000 but that it’s actually “$1,400 USD for one Birkin out of factory.”

Another clip, which has 8.5 million views, features a factory worker in Yiwu advertising Birkenstock Boston clogs, which cost $165 on the brand’s website, for $10. Notably, he references the shoes as “high end clogs and sandals” in his other videos.

Many of these videos have been taken down. A TikTok spokesperson said the platform is removing content and accounts that violate its policy against “the trade or marketing of regulated, prohibited, or high-risk goods and services,” which includes counterfeit goods.

Are these legitimate luxury goods without the logo?

Probably not. In the best-case scenario, these are pretty decent replicas, meaning they look similar to the original product but aren’t claiming to be authentic.

Margaret Bishop, a global textile and apparel industry consultant, said that luxury brands don’t allow their legitimate suppliers to sell the same product directly to consumers.

“Any contracts they have with their supply chain would specifically ban the factory selling direct to anyone, with or without a logo, with or without finishing,” Bishop said.

If a factory is claiming that they are selling a luxury product without the logo, they are doing so “without the authorization of the brand that owns the intellectual property,” she added.

Worst case, they are illegal counterfeit goods, which is bad for many reasons beyond its illicit nature.

Vidyuth Srinivasan, CEO of luxury authentication company Entrupy, has studied counterfeits for his business. He said over 60% of the thousands of counterfeit goods that Entrupy has tested contained harmful chemicals like arsenic or lead. Additionally, consumers don’t know who is making their products and whether they’re abiding by proper safety regulations.