SHEIN finds itself caught in yet another lawsuit for copyright infringement, this time filed by the prominent fast fashion retailer, H&M, adding to its mounting list of legal conflicts.
The legal action against both SHEIN and Zoetop Business, a Hong Kong-based company that formerly owned SHEIN and is named as a defendant in the case.
As per a writ of summons from July 2021, H&M is seeking unspecified damages and an injunction to prevent SHEIN from further infringing on its trademarks.
According to court documents in Hong Kong, H&M presented evidence, including images, of various items from its collection that were allegedly copied by SHEIN. H&M claims that several of SHEIN’s products bear a “striking resemblance” to their own designs.
A spokesperson for H&M informed the media that SHEIN has infringed on their designs in multiple instances.
The latest accusation adds to the growing number of allegations directed at SHEIN in recent years. Throughout this period, the retailer has faced frequent accusations of appropriating designs, often from independent designers.
In recent weeks, the situation escalated when three designers filed a lawsuit against SHEIN, alleging that the company engaged in a “large-scale and systematic theft” of intellectual property belonging to both prominent and lesser-known American designers.
In addition to its ongoing legal battles, SHEIN is currently entangled in a dispute with Temu, a Chinese-owned online retailer and a newly emerging competitor. SHEIN has accused Temu of both copyright infringement and engaging in “deceptive business practices.”
