Forbes reported that the school quietly cut ties with the brand mere months later. The collaboration drew similar skepticism from students who were concerned about Shein’s labor practices. In 2021, the company launched a partnership with Indiana University aimed at creating career paths for international students. “Shein is trying to expand its reach within my generation by targeting colleges.”įIDM is not the first school to work with Shein. “I don’t want this movement to stop at my school,” she said.
Silverstein calls colleges a “playing ground” for Shein to attempt to rehab its image, and wants to prevent a similar situation happening at another school. She’s currently contacting student groups across the country, including sororities, encouraging members to boycott Shein. Photograph: Muntaka Chasant/REX/Shutterstockįor Silverstein, Shein’s attempt to work with universities constitutes greenwashing, a form of PR spin intended to mislead consumers into believing the brand is taking steps to help the environment. Shein produces 6,000 pieces of clothing a day, many of which end up in landfills in Ghana. According to the trade publication Vogue Business, that’s more than double FIDM’s enrollment, which is 1,764 undergraduate students. Outraged, she started a petition to end the scholarship, which has been signed by more than 4,500 people. “I’m very grateful that FIDM is giving students this opportunity, but Shein is the worst possible pick for a partnership like this,” Silverstein said. Through the Shein scholarship, 12 FIDM students were awarded $40,000 each and the chance to design pieces for the brand’s collection. “How can a school that markets itself as one of the top 10 sustainable fashion schools in the world partner with one of the biggest fast-fashion companies in our industry? It was very hypocritical and shocking.” “A part of me didn’t want to believe it,” Silverstein said. That’s why Silverstein was shocked to learn that her college, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), collaborated with Shein on a scholarship program.
Environmental activists frequently blast the label for producing 6,000 pieces of clothing a day, contributing to the fashion industry’s enormous waste problem. It has surpassed Amazon as the most-downloaded shopping app, even as designers have filed a Rico lawsuit, alleging the brand engages in “egregious” copyright infringement to create its cheap knock-offs. Shein raked in a reported $23bn in revenue last year, while earning criticism from US lawmakers over its alleged forced labor practices.
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