Fast-fashion titan Shein is no stranger to controversy. With revenues of approximately $23bn reported last year, alongside reproaches over alleged forced labour practices and criticism from prolific designers, this brand is embroiled in an array of disputes.
The crux? Shein’s rapid production pace, pumping out a massive 6,000 pieces daily, earns it detractors due to contributing significantly to the fashion industry’s overwhelming waste problem. These concerns all aggregately culminate in one critical issue: allegations of brand ‘greenwashing.’
Shein Crossing Paths with Higher Education
Unimaginably so, this fast-fashion giant found a footing in the academic realm, specifically the lauded Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. With FIDM carving out a reputation as one of the world’s top sustainable fashion schools, Shein’s arrival on the scene through a scholarship scheme was met with disbelief, even borderline outrage.
“One finds it hard to reconcile a school that places itself among the world’s most sustainable fashion institutions aligning with a fast-fashion colossus,” said Lexy Silverstein, a 20-year-old student at FIDM.
Further scratching the surface reveals the provision of $40,000 to 12 selected FIDM students, alongside the opportunity to add their designs to Shein’s extensive collection. While Silverstein acknowledges the merit of the scholarship, she questions the ethical consequences, which prompted her to challenge this partnership through a petition that has acquired over 4,500 signatures.
“Fast-fashion brand Shein is exploiting college campuses as a platform to refurbish its tarnished reputation,” Silverstein says, referring to the corporation’s widespread greenwashing and branding efforts.
The Rise of “Academic Greenwashing”
What Silverstein points out isn’t an issue unique to the fashion industry but extends to other sectors as well. Whether it’s fossil fuel companies funnelling over $700m into research funding for US universities or questionable sponsorships, businesses often leverage university partnerships to smokescreen unethical practices.
As demonstrated by the education sector’s engagement with Shein and other similar corporations, it’s essential to balance the potential benefits with the potential detriment to the school’s integrity. This line of thought is echoed by Aaliya Hussain, from the student group MIT Divest, who cautions against the underlying motivations behind such ‘philanthropy’.
“Yes, it does help some students financially, but labeling it as charity is a misconception. It is, in real terms, a calculated PR manoeuvre,” Hussain contends.
Ethical Dilemmas in Education
Despite the allegations and ensuing backlash, some, like Barbara Bundy, vice-president of education at FIDM, assert these partnerships provide tangible benefits. Notably, Shein’s ‘test and repeat’ sales model presents budding designers with a precious opportunity to see their designs reach the public.
However, whether the benefits redeem the glaring ethical incongruities continues to spark intense debate, as the infiltration of fast fashion into higher education ignites a multitude of questions about the prevalence of greenwashing and the real cost of such partnerships.
