Shortly after Complex published an article detailing some of the worst streetwear and designer bootlegs found on Temu, a source confirmed with Complex that many of the fake items we highlighted, (like Speedemon BS-6s and Kenye West x Child Kudi 'Kids See Spectre' crewnecks) were removed from the online marketplace.
It's worth noting that Temu is a platform that connects third-party sellers to consumers. While some Temu sellers are clearly violating intellectual property laws, the company holds a firm stance against such products. In fact, anyone who’s authorized to act on trademarks or intellectual property can send a notice of infringement through a portal on Temu's website if they find their items are being bootlegged.
While Temu attempts to remove anything that violates intellectual property/copyright laws, a good amount of fakes are still able to filter through. Complex did not link out to Temu’s product listings within our original article, we can confirm that most of the dupes it highlighted have been removed from the marketplace. However, we managed to find even more crazy fakes, which can be seen below.
Bootleg streetwear aside, Temu grew in popularity in 2023. Business Insider recently reported that it was one of the fastest growing websites last year. Bloomberg also found that Boomers shopped twice as much on the app than Zoomers.
However, Temu is still embroiled in controversy that stems from allegations of its products being connected to forced labor. Congress also introduced bills last year to make changes to the “de minimis” trade rule, which lets imported packages under $800 receive tax exemptions and undergo scrutiny from U.S.customs. Lawmakers argue that Temu, as well as Shein, is exploiting a century-old trade law by shipping cheap products directly from China to its consumers.
