H&M sues fashion giant Shein for plagiarism

7/25/2023, 8:00:49 AM

Highlights: H&M has been accused of copying designs from Chinese fashion label Shein. The clothing giant is seeking damages and an injunction. Shein has been criticized for poor working conditions and harmful toxins in its clothes. The company has been in contact with the U.S. authorities about the case. The case is expected to be heard in the next few weeks, according to reports in China and the United States. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details.

Clothing giant Shein has been accused of multiple counts of design theft and is on trial in the United States. Now H&M has also chosen to sue the Chinese fast fashion company, Bloomberg reports.

The lawsuit has been filed in Hong Kong and contains several images of Shein garments that H&M believes constitute obvious copyright infringement.

The clothing company has become known for quickly catching up with new trends and releasing products at breakneck speed.

Shein is seeking damages and an injunction to prevent the company from committing new copyright violations, Omni writes.

Three smaller American fashion creators have previously joined forces and sued Shein for plagiarism. The fashion giant has also been criticized for poor working conditions and harmful toxins in its clothes.

Shein answers

Culture News has previously been in contact with a spokesperson for Shein regarding the legal process in the United States. The company said at the time that it takes all allegations of copyright infringement seriously, and that it acts quickly when such infringement is discovered.

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See for yourself in the clip the prints that Shein has been accused of copying, compared to the originals. Photo: TT/Elizabeth Watson