Pleather/fake leather ear pads do that after continuous use for a long time and it’s unfortunately normal. You can change them with new ear pads and if you’re lucky, you can find them made by different materials. Be careful, the material of the ear pads actually effects the sound that you will hear from your headphones.

Look, China IS an authoritarian and oligarchic country. The difference between them and the USA is that the oligarchs in China is a bit more benevolent towards their people.