14ymedio, Natalia López Moya, Havana, August 10, 2025 — “These sneakers aren’t even original,” Liuba openly admits as she stands in front of a wide variety of sneakers laid out on her table. The fact that they are all fakes does not seem to bother the freelance vendor. “They might not be authentic but I only sell G5 copies,” she says with a tinge of pride. She is referring to high-quality replicas that accurately mimic the design — and sometimes even the materials — of popular brands such as Nike.
Liuba travels twice a month to Panama to stock up. She brings back some of the merchandise in her own luggage. She ships the rest or has it carried back by third-parties who make up part of this retail network. “What I sell are high-end imitations. They look very similar to the original but the cost what people here can afford,” she explains.
The prices speak for themselves. A G5 copy of a Nike Air Max X Supreme is priced at 27,000 Cuban pesos —four times what her mother makes in month at her job in a medical lab. A pair of Adidas Campus shoes costs around 15,000 while and a pair of fake Converses goes for as much as 20,000. “It’s not dishonest,”she asserts. “Buyers know what they’re getting.”
“It’s not dishonest. Buyers know what they’re getting”
This phenomenon is not unique to Cuba. Counterfeiting — whether it be clothing, jewelry or toys — has become so sophisticated that even experts can be fooled. Despite laws prohibiting their sale, the global market for fakes continues to grow, especially among online shoppers and young consumers, who want well-known brands at lower prices.
In Cuba, demand is skyrocketing due to young people’s desire to brandish famous logos at prices commensurate with their limited purchasing power. According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the value of counterfeit and pirated goods worldwide was $467 billion in 2021. China and Hong Kong lead the production.
There was a time when private-sector vendors in Cuba swore they were not selling fake goods even though everyone knew that a lot of merchandise was not original. They now openly admit it and their customers automatically assume it.
Loly, a 19-year-old Havana resident, has become a counterfeit influencer. She poses on Instagram with Prada sunglasses, a Saint Laurent bag and Adidas Samba sneakers. Her photos show her carrying shopping bags as if she were coming out of a boutique. In reality, the items are purchased on the black market, some of which she resells to her followers. “Sometimes I post a photo with a bag and in five minutes I have ten orders. There’s even a waiting list for some items,” she says.
The rise of fast-fashion platforms such as Shein and Temu has also had an impact. Many Cubans order low-cost items through intermediaries, relatives in the U.S. or frequent travelers. The merchandise comes from places popular with Cuban travelers such as Miami, Panama, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. The factories, however, are much farther away, in places such as China, Turkey and Thailand.
“My daughter regularly shows up with a blouse whose color has faded after one use or pair of sneakers that has lost a sole”
Loly manages several Telegram groups with thousands of members. There, she posts photos and prices for knockoffs of things such as $5,000 handbags, sneakers, jeans, glasses and even clothes recently seen on runways or concert stages.
But there is a downside. “My daughter regularly shows up with a blouse whose color has faded after one use or pair of sneakers that has lost a sole,” complains Marilín, the mother of a teenager addicted to these shopping sites.
It is no longer taboo to be seen in knockoffs of famous brands. “A few years ago it was a sign that you were poor but now people proudly show them off,” she notes.
This is largely due to social media and influencers. TikTok is one of the island’s hubs of knockoff promotions. The state, which has never cared about the rights of copyright holders, is not concerned about this phenomenon. It is common to find counterfeit goods even in government-run stores. “I have been fined for not adding a QR code but never for selling copies,” confesses Liuba, the owner of a store in Havana’s Vedado district, whose shelves are filled with luxury caps and handbags, all fake.
In some cases the ads do not even bother to point out that the merchandise is fake because nobody expects to find anything but copies on the Island of Piracy
Only when counterfeit goods pose a threat to public health does someone sound the alarm. In 2022, the Center for State Drug Control (CECMED) warned that counterfeit drugs such as Amitriptyline and Diazepam were being sold outside of pharmacies. Beyond that, the issue has seldom come up in state media.
In sports, the market for counterfeit soccer jerseys is overwhelming. Prices range from 10,000 to 35,000 pesos, with quality ranging from flimsy to almost authentic. In some cases the ads do not even bother to point out that the merchandise is fake because nobody expects to find anything but copies on the Island of Piracy.
The logic behind this is the same. For many, a replica is a way to “belong” without having to empty their wallets. Twenty-two-year-old Kara offers a humorous take on the phenomenon. She says of her Skechers “S” sneakers, “They’re faker than a selfie with filters but I like them and my friends recognize them from social media. Nobody cares that they’re not the real thing.”
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