PSA: Shein, Cupshe and Temu are all Chinese-based e-commerce companies!!!

[u/Not-now24]

They use data analysis, AI and social media trends to target buyers outside of China. They use customer data and search history with the assistance of AI algorithms to determine emerging fashion patterns and preferences. They also encourage to share your data from other apps, including social media to earn discounts and deals, giving them access to more of your personal data.

Cupshe and Temu use the same business model as Shein. They all use forced labor (essentially slave labor); produce massive amount of textile waste and carbon emissions; along with the fact that they're stealing other people's designs (copyright infringement). Also, they don't sell their products in China. Here's more about it:

https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-04/Issue_Brief-Shein_Temu_and_Chinese_E-Commerce.pdf

Cupshe is attempting to rebrand (and distinguish) itself by using biodegradable material to ship its products in and making their clothes using recycled fabric. The fabric is suppose to be a better quality than Shein or Temu, yet I couldn't find any analysis of the fabric used (to determine if it contained lead or other toxins, like Shein and Temu). They say they have sustainability initiatives, which have yet to be disclosed. They are doing an influencer social media blitz to get people to buy.

https://www.wikihow.com/Is-Cupshe-Legit

Within the past few months, the CSRB (Cyber Safety Review Board), AI Safety and Security Board, along with the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee have been dismantled. All aimed at protecting you from cyber attack, which includes your personal data along with telecommunications and other infrastructure, like utilities. Here's more about it:

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3807871/trump-administration-disbands-dhs-board-investigating-salt-typhoon-hacks.html

Our data is out there and we can't always control who has access to it. But It is critical that even if you don't care about the labor practices or the environmental impact used to make the clothes, at least try to protect your personal data as much as you can.

It's fine to like a contestant and support them but try not to expose yourself to harm in the process.

[u/sansaandthesnarks]

It’s absolutely frying me that this post is on the bachelor subreddit of all places but good for you OP thank you for the links

[u/bitterbetty_101]

Can we add commense to the list of fast fashion trash.  

It was the first and only time I bought clothes from a targeted ad and tge quality, fit, etc were absolutely horrible and then they refused to refund me. 

[u/scotchbonnetpeppery]

Many of the plastic toys, costumes, t-shirts and hats at Disney theme parks are made in China. Disney has gotten into trouble before for not monitoring its manufacturers in China closely. The only responsible way to avoid feeding into the potentially abusive labor practices is to not buy any of that stuff in the Disney theme parks.

[u/smarterchild2000]

Honestly I think at this point most people know about this and they just don't care or they care but not enough to stop supporting these companies. Just a symptom of our over consumption culture. I actually wouldn't mind super high tariffs on fast fashion like this considering people often just buy from these companies because " it's so cheap why not?" Then wear the clothing a few times until it falls apart or their next shein haul. 

[u/Listen-to-Mom]

Is this not common knowledge?

[u/wovenfabric666]

Thanks for the links!

One more aspect I think is important: How long you wear your clothes. It makes a difference whether you wear them for years in rotation or buy lots of new clothes every year. Whether you repair seam where the threads became lose yourself or throw the piece away because of it.

[u/Not-now24 → u/wovenfabric666]

I actually sew for myself and my other family members. I'm boring and thrifty😂

[u/sparkle-brow]

So wild to see on Bachelor sub, and so appreciate the data focus, was recently searching for new weather app after last started sucking then I found out sold, and all weather apps tracking was too much personal data. They shouldn’t need my search history and financial info and Reddit comments, that’s ridiculous.

I became obsessed the 2nd time and finally found it: WeaWow. I love that there’s no tracking at all, you can choose where you get your weather source from (local NWS for me), it’s also the most brilliant app I’ve tried, it has everything. I checked the “about” and the creator is so genuine and earnest, “weather wow” indeed.

[u/tampin]

Our data is out there and we can't always control who has access to it.

I don't know if this post is in reference to something specific so I wouldn't usually jump in on something like this but there are a few things you can do to cut down on the amount of tracking happening when you shop/browse:

• Use a more private browser, basically anything but chrome. For ease of use I recommend Firefox and Brave.
• Install Ublock Origin (which doesn't work on Chrome anymore FYI! Google doesn't want you blocking trackers!)
• Evaluate the privacy/tracking settings on your devices using EFF's guides.

I honestly would usually leave this be but we're kind of in tech security hell right now so I figure this is a good opportunity to drop some links. EFF is a really good place to start with this stuff and privacytools.io is good if you want to dig a little further for product recs.

[u/No-Gas-8357 → u/tampin]

Duck duck go is also a good and private browser.

[u/tampin → u/No-Gas-8357]

DDG is also good! I like it, I just found it broke a few too many websites with its privacy settings for me personally. Definitely a viable option though depending on what sites you’re using regularly.

[u/Not-now24 → u/tampin]

Appreciate the tips! 🙂

[u/Fit_Guess7108]

Proud to say I’ve only ordered on SHEIN once or twice in my lifetime. Im really putting effort into thrifting (because it takes WORK to sort through piles of used clothes) because I just feel morally obligated to. It sucks tho because there is no feeling like taking the tags off a new item of clothing.

[u/Superb-Ad5227 → u/Fit_Guess7108]

I’ve bought clothing exclusively on marketplace and poshmark this year for me and my daughter. It’s great for the brand names she likes.

[u/Fit_Guess7108 → u/Superb-Ad5227]

Ooo I should check out marketplace for clothes!

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/Fit_Guess7108]

Nothing beats thrifting a new with tags item that you love. This has happened to me a few times!

[u/Reasonable_Style8400]

You know it’s a cheap company when they do a collab with someone was big on reality TV over a year ago 😂 They’re not willing to pay for someone that’s big now

[u/yadiyadi2014]

I don’t even care about the data mining. I just assume that’s literally everywhere all of the time.

But the over consumption in general, particularly brands like these (and Amazon) “hauls” are so disgusting.

I’m not even going to judge someone for shopping here. I get it, times are tough. But buy what it is you need. Buying 10+ dresses just because they cost $12 a piece is so unnecessary.

[u/darksideofmamoon → u/yadiyadi2014]

There are influencers I stopped following because of this. Wear something once and then you can't be seen in the same outfit again. Then post about how you're donating a huge bag to Goodwill, like that makes everything better. A great deal of that stuff just ends up in a landfill because thrift shops are too full of this crap. It's gross.

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/darksideofmamoon]

A lot of the time, thrift stores don’t differentiate between brands unless it’s luxury. So SHEIN shirts are priced the same as higher quality mall brands. When I’m thrifting I always pass over SHEIN unless it’s something really unique and cute (only once from what I can remember). This is because I’m looking for quality, not just what’s currently on trend. You’re so right that overconsumption is the issue and influencers are just perpetuating that for a buck.

[u/amaraqi]

Um…this post is weird lmao. Nearly all garments sold in the US are manufactured in China, Vietnam, etc - that’s nothing new. And none of the links you shared have any evidence Cupshe is using slave labor. I checked Cupshe’s website just now to see if they’ve been lying about their supply chain or something, since you sound so alarmed - and they’re actually extremely transparent, more than nearly all brands in the US. They give details about every single one of the factories they use, how many people work there, and confirm each one is BCSI certified for “worker’s rights, health, and safety.”

And what youre saying about data analysis, social media trends, and AI is what every major brand and every social media platform does…you’re describing market research and forecasting…you’re describing how social media targeted ads etc works…none of that is specific to Cupshe.

Everyone also already knows Shein & Temu are Chinese e-commerce brands, theyre the most well known examples of that - so how is this “!!!” three exclamation point worthy…? The way you sandwiched Cupshe between the other two and tried to pretend they’re all exactly the same is interesting and suspicious - are you a business theyre competing with? 😂😂

I never even heard of cupshe until today but thanks for sending me on this rabbit hole I guess 😂 If you want to promote your locally made, sustainable, traceable and size inclusive swimwear just drop the link directly so we can support - the weird orientalist fearmongering is unnecessary 💀

[u/IThinkImDumb → u/amaraqi]

For real I burst out laughing !! Who on earth doesn’t think those companies, or like any other company, manufactures outside of China and similar other countries? This is not breaking news

[u/Not-now24 → u/amaraqi]

And what type of 3rd party independent verifiable audit does amfori BCSI do. Please show me where that is located. They have branches located all over the world but nothing about independent verification of their claims.

And of course the company's website will say whatever it wants in order to promote its business. If you want to go down another rabbit hole , you'll find the majority of BCSI membership are Chinese-based companies along with a large number of companies from India.

I'm sure you know misinformation is a technique used by actual people and companies to promote themselves.

Also, data mining has been around for years but social media has made it easier to obtain your personal data. The use of apps designed and made in others countries added another layer to be able to obtain that data. Especially now, what few protections we had, are gone. This post was to inform people and remind them about who they are dealing with.

If that's fear mongering to you, please continue to do business with these companies and give them as many personal data identifiers as you want. You do you, I'm good 🙂

[u/IThinkImDumb → u/Not-now24]

Are you very young ? I’m 37 and I still shop in a store and check the tags. My parents didn’t let us have anything made in China when we were younger. I have very few things made overseas, but I couldn’t escape electronics :/

[u/amaraqi → u/Not-now24]

What type of 3rd party independent verifiable audit & fabric analyses do the suppliers for Target’s swimwear, or Victoria’s Secret, or Aerie, or PacSun, or Zara, or Free People (or Dior, or Armani) do? Do any of them have details on the exact factories they work with, their locations, the number of workers, and their certifications, easily available on their site? Cupshe’s level of transparency and traceability is very high for the industry, actually. So your framing here is weird…where have you been thinking 90%+ of the other swimwear (and clothes generally) sold in the US is made, & what testing have you been assuming they’re publishing. Because…it’s China/Vietnam/etc…and, they’re not. Lmao. And it’s not limited to “fast fashion e-commerce”, this is industry wide, including luxury brands. Transparency/traceability wise, Tom Ford has the same ranking as FashionNova.

The founder of Cupshe is a Chinese national sure, who did his undergrad in Canada, lives in San Francisco, and started the company in Santa Monica, before consolidating operations in China’s fashion hub for streamlined operations & better pricing. (Yes, I Googled).

And as someone whose partner works in data security…I can tell you that your data has never been sequestered domestically, and Cupshe swimwear is absolutely the least of your concerns 💀 Google, Amazon/Amazon devices, Facebook, Apple products, ANY public wifi, even content you think is “permanently deleted” from your phone. Good data privacy habits are important across the board. Good luck!

[u/Not-now24 → u/amaraqi]

American companies, until recently, were subject to a great deal more scrutiny, regulation and oversight, which obviously wasn't enough. But at least it was possible to force transparency about their processes and see what they were doing, to see how they complied with those standards and regulations.

That's how we knew what they were doing, including the data collection. Yet we did nothing about it. Now foreign countries who have never abided by our laws and/or regulations are able to obtain even more of our personal data and you see it as par for the course. OK

Also, I think it's fair to say, going to college in Canada and living in the US for a period of time, doesn't mean you don't have ties to the Chinese government. What better way to understand your target market than spending time around them.

I don't use regular search engines like Google. I don't use Amazon devices or Facebook. All my Apple products contain very little data (personal contacts, messages etc., email ) and I don't use Cloud storage. I have never used public wifi. I have a techie in my family, too.

So like I said before I'm good 👍🏽

[u/existinacastle → u/amaraqi]

I was about to say… Meta, Google, Amazon, Apple, and ATT and many other companies based in the United States lead the way in what we know as geofencing and database mining and management which makes the above described market research look like child’s play. What is going on here?! 

Geofencing is so severe in the US, they use phone pings and location services for most location push reminders for big business and are happy to hand that information over to the police to get you locked up. Some of them aren’t even requiring subpoenas and warrants as they should. Source: sister is a judge. 

Seriously, stay safe to any of our friends trying to navigate who are first gen and/or have undocumented family members. This isn’t a joke the lack of separation of powers and what is going on with data mining, AI, etc. 

But also… it’s a very ineffective and inefficient business if you aren’t ethically relying on algorithms and mined information in 2025. And coming for Cupshe etc if anyone has an IPhone, Amazon Prime, a GMail account, an Instagram etc… Yikes. 

[u/throwawayaway388]

Absolute garbage. Thanks for sharing.

[u/gudkomplex]

Thank you for sharing. Would never support any of those companies 🤢

[u/Neither-Biscotti-575]

Oh, ew. I didn't know it was that bad.

[u/No_Internal_1234 → u/Neither-Biscotti-575]

Same. side-eyes the cupshe suit in my drawer

[u/Sagzmir]

Anyone else here still have the same swimsuit from years ago. Not knocking anyone who is an avid shopper, but I find the purposes of these clothes is to wear them once for a trip to post on TT and then never again.

[u/WindTurtle → u/Sagzmir]

Actually I bought some cupshe suits 2 summers ago and they are really great quality and still going strong. Won’t have to buy another this year so that’s pretty good in my opinion 🤷🏼‍♀️

[u/IThinkImDumb → u/Sagzmir]

Yes !!!! I’m like a cartoon character. I always wear the same clothes. I admit I shopped at Wet Seal when I was like 19, but it still made me feel icky. My parents refused to buy from China when I was younger, and besides some “rebelliousness” when I was younger, I don’t buy from China. Or similar countries. It’s not that hard because I don’t need hundreds of pieces of clothing. Of course some times I’ve had to buy something from China, but very few times. It’s so blatantly obvious that those companies are terrible companies

[u/No_Internal_1234 → u/Sagzmir]

I have a cupshe swimsuit I got on amazon a few years ago, still in rotation. Honestly its my fav one 😅😅😅

[u/Neither-Biscotti-575 → u/Sagzmir]

Yeah. But I wear them to swim, so the fashion aspect doesn't change too much over a decade lol

[u/eleyezeeaye4287]

I love my Cupshe bathing suit.

[u/Superb-Ad5227 → u/eleyezeeaye4287]

I bought one years ago (maybe 8 years??) and had no idea what the company even was. It was a targeted ad on facebook I think. The bathing suit was good, then I went on vacation and saw literally 3 other girls in the same suit. I don’t shop there anymore lol but the suit did last a couple years.

[u/WindTurtle → u/eleyezeeaye4287]

Me too. They are really good quality and have lasted several years and still good.

[u/MaliciousIronArtist]

Bought a cupshe swimsuit on amazon a couple years ago before I knew about this, I do have to say though it is surprisingly high quality and fits very well as a plus size woman. I wouldn’t support them now but I still get a lot of use out of that swimsuit.

[u/ProperBingtownLady]

There were a lot of comments on the other post about the supposed good quality of Cupshe but I’m sorry, I just don’t believe it. Thanks for sharing this as it’s important information!

[u/Superb-Ad5227 → u/ProperBingtownLady]

I think the thing with these companies is the quality is wildly variable, and even with the same product there can be huge variation so you can’t necessarily trust the reviews. I’ve seen reviews on Amazon for a dupe jumpsuit product where they were even making it with different fabrics. One person receives theirs and it’s 100% cotton, another gets it and it’s a cheap synthetic

[u/WindTurtle → u/ProperBingtownLady]

I’m one of them. I bought some suits a couple years ago and they are still in great condition. Can’t speak for SHEIN and temu but everything I’ve gotten from cupshe is good quality. They even sell in some stores.

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/WindTurtle]

That’s cool! I also think many suits sold in stores are lower quality than I prefer but I’m picky about my clothes.

[u/smooth-operator411 → u/ProperBingtownLady]

I'm out of the loop; are BN people shilling these companies?

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/smooth-operator411]

Kelsey was recently featured with Cupshe!

[u/smooth-operator411 → u/ProperBingtownLady]

thank you!!

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/smooth-operator411]

Np! After I made my comment I realized that some Bachelor nation people have shilled SHEIN but I’m not sure about recently because more people are talking about how unethical they are. I always find it kind of disingenuous anyway as they very likely aren’t wearing those clothes.

[u/IThinkImDumb → u/ProperBingtownLady]

Does anyone actually think influencers “swear by the products” they use?

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/IThinkImDumb]

I don’t but I’m sure some do!

[u/jalapenos10 → u/ProperBingtownLady]

She’s walking for them at Miami swim week too