Australian designers say chasing alleged Shein copies is a tedious drain on small labels
Small Australian fashion labels say alleged copies of their designs keep appearing on Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein — and that policing the problem is exhausting for one- and two-person businesses.
Melbourne designer Klaudia Burzynska, who launched her label Things You Really Like on Etsy in 2020, said she has found repeated duplications of her designs on the platform, along with marketing materials she says were lifted from her brand. “The first time I saw them was when I was going through Pinterest and I got an ad from Shein of my own photos and my own T-shirts,” she said.
After that discovery, she said, “it was never-ending.” Shein provides a portal for people to lodge intellectual property infringement claims against the company and its vendors, requiring details such as when and where the original work was first published and images of the original.
Burzynska said the process was tedious and could take hours when multiple items were involved — time she does not have as a sole trader. She worries the duplication could lead potential customers to think she is copying Shein or dropshipping, damaging perceptions of her brand’s authenticity.
Bundaberg-based swimwear designer Emily Gradon, founder of Tribe Tropical, said she first uncovered what she believes were copies of her prints on Shein by using reverse image search. In some cases, she said, elements were altered — “maybe 30 per cent” — such as replacing a kingfisher bird in her design with a blue wren, while the rest appeared nearly identical.
Gradon said pursuing legal protection felt too costly and time-consuming for a small business. She would like to see a government body established to help protect Australian designers from overseas companies copying their work. In a statement, Shein said it takes appropriate action when an IP violation is confirmed.
For designers like Burzynska and Gradon, however, the time and expense of pursuing takedowns and legal remedies remain a heavy burden, and they are calling for clearer, more accessible avenues to enforce their rights.