DIY Birkin? China’s Gen Z 3D prints dupes

What happened As Paopaoyouzishui (@柚子泡泡水) elaborates on the entire workflow of 3D-printing a “Birkin” on her Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) account, she carefully removes a freshly printed handbag from a 3D printer at home. Like her, many users post about 3D printing iconic luxury handbags, including the Hermès Birkin and Louis Vuitton Speedy. These knockoffs, made from biodegradable filaments like thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polylactic acid (PLA), are mostly mini-sized, not as strong as the real deal, and therefore seldom used as functional handbags. Instead, makers use them as vases, keychains, tissue boxes, or even toys for kids. Additionally, these lookalikes often come in playful colors and freewheeling variations. Kawang (@咔汪) spent five hours making a dopamine-colored Speedy with 140 grams of materials, which she jokes could hold up to three lipsticks. “LV may copy your design for its next season if it sees this cutie,” a commenter quipped. There are also exact dupes of full-sized, functional luxury items. For instance, replicating the newly released LV X TM Monogram Multicolor Robert Toolbox has become a fad on Xiaohongshu, with quite a few users sharing tutorials on 3D-printing this container retailing for 15,800 RMB ($2,169), at a cost of no more than 200 RMB ($27.46) with plastic materials and a set of acrylic paint markers. This niche hobby has emerged among tech-savvy fashion enthusiasts amid China’s economic slowdown. The Jing Take Over the past few years, a struggling Chinese economy led to rising youth unemployment, nudging 16% in December 2024, and a withering luxury sector that saw an 18% to 20% YoY decline, according to Bain. Amid persistent economic uncertainty, young consumers have been finding ways to indulge in luxury aesthetics without the eye-watering price tags. From buying dupes to making them Millennials and Gen Zers once swooped in to buy flawless counterfeits, giving rise to “dupe culture.” A perfectly replicated Birkin Himalayan with identical D-rings, precise stitches, and even the same number of pavé diamonds used to be highly coveted, so was a Chanel Flap Bag in an immaculate shade of soft and supple leather. As attitudes changed, they began mimicking high-end looks, in particular during the peak of “quiet luxury.” For instance, they would don a monochrome Uniqlo jumper to create the minimalist look from The Row. A 2024 poll revealed that 85% of surveyed consumers have bought affordable alternatives to luxury items, colloquially dubbed pingti (平提). Tech meets fashion: A new DIY culture Now the younger demographic,increasingly tech-savvy and experimental, appears to have gone beyond buying replicas to embrace a fusion of dupe culture and maker culture. Affordable desktop 3D printers, which cost as little as $200, free open source design templates, and various tutorials shared on social media are making it more feasible to DIY luxury items. Capitalizing on technological advances, these resourceful youngsters are creating their own versions of luxury, occasionally with a tinge of irony. Though these 3D-printed items currently pose no real threat to the luxury sector, they hold the potential to disrupt the industry with the rapid expansion of technology, which is expected to be further expedited by this blend of dupe culture and maker culture. Once luxury’s promise of exclusivity is shattered, what can brands do to tackle the knockoffs churned out of 3D printers? Perhaps then, luxury’s allure will rest on it becoming a canvas for creativity, and probably rebellion. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

DIY Birkin? China’s Gen Z 3D prints dupes

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Published February 20, 2025

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DIY Birkin? China’s Gen Z 3D prints dupes