Chinese TikTok Influencers 'Expose' Cheap Nike, Lululemon Suppliers To Bypass Trump Tariffs

A surge of TikTok influencers are targeting American consumers with videos that claim to reveal the Chinese factories behind major brands like Nike, Inc. NKE and Lululemon Athletica, Inc. LULU.

The influencers claim that viewers can bypass President Donald Trump's tariffs by purchasing the same products directly from Chinese manufacturers at a fraction of U.S. retail prices.

What To Know: The influencers typically film themselves inside or near Chinese factories and assert that the facility produces goods for Nike, Lululemon and other well-known brands. Some openly criticize U.S. tariffs and trade policies and the messaging often emphasizes the idea that consumers can “bypass the middleman” and get the same products for significantly lower prices directly from the factory.

While the influencers promote direct factory sales as a way to avoid tariffs, the U.S. is set to eliminate duty exemptions for small packages sent to U.S. addresses starting May 2, making it less clear whether consumers will actually save money.

For example, TikTok user @LunaSourcingChina claims Lululemon leggings are made for $5 to $6 per pair, compared to over $100 retail in the U.S., saying the quality is “virtually identical.”

Other videos titled “China Exposed the Truth” and “How We Bypass Tariffs” have gone viral, with millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes. The sheer number of videos showcasing the anti-tariff content highlights concerns over TikTok-owner ByteDance's ability to reach and influence a broad U.S. audience.

"These posts are much more confrontational and mocking of the US, rather than showing it as a threat," Tom Harper, lecturer in Chinese international relations at the University of East London, told Bloomberg.

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