In just one week, the international company Shein launched two traditional Oaxacan garments: the first, a blouse with the characteristic embroidery of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the other, a traditional one from San Antonino Castillo Velasco. This constitutes an insult to Oaxacan artisans, as their consent was not sought.
After the plagiarism of the first blouse was reported, the company removed it from its digital platform and issued a statement affirming its supposed “respect for Oaxacan artisans, as well as internal commitments to prevent violations.”
In response, the Government of Oaxaca and the Secretariat of Culture and Arts (Seculta) expressed their rejection of Shein’s response, in a media outlet and not to the artisans or the Oaxacans.
In a statement, the company stated that these actions do not repair the harm caused to the indigenous peoples of Oaxaca.
“This offense is not a commercial error, but rather a manifestation of systematic cultural appropriation by some multinational and national companies, which exploit the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples to generate millions in profits, while undermining local economies and distorting artisanal work,” the agency emphasized.
Embroideries by Oaxacan artists are not simply reproducible designs
It states that the embroideries of Oaxacan artists are not simply mass-reproducible designs; “they are living expressions of heritage and collective identity, which sustain entire families and community economies.”
Seculta emphasized that each handcrafted piece—which takes weeks or months of work to create—“represents history, embodying the spirit of community resistance and the unique creativity of artisans, contrasted with polluting, frivolous, and disposable products that devalue their work.”
Therefore, they demand a respectful, and genuine public apology, as well as direct dialogue with the state government, the artisans, and the communities of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and San Antonino Castillo Velasco to agree on mechanisms for economic and cultural compensation.
“Shein’s statement, addressed to a media outlet and not to the Oaxacan government or the affected communities, lacks an honest and transparent public apology. Internal promises are not enough; we demand an immediate and genuine public apology; direct dialogue with the state government and the affected communities, including binding commitments not to repeat plagiarism.”
Source: 24-horas
