Swedish fashion brand H&M sues Shein: All you need to know about the dispute

The Swedish fashion giant has sought an injunction to stop Shein from copyright infringement. H&M believes that Shein in multiple cases has infringed on their designs, an AFP report added quoting a spokesperson of the company.

Shein, the fast-growing online fashion retailer founded in 2008, has been facing a series of lawsuits for copyright and design infringements.

While filing the details, H&M shared pictures of several items from its swimwear to sweaters as evidence of being copied by Shein, Bloomberg reported. The pictures were disclosed to the public after the hearing at the Hong Kong High Court on June 21. Meanwhile, the next date of hearing is slated to be held on July 31, according to Bloomberg.

The Hong Kong High Court heard the case for the first time in September 2022, and the judge allowed the proceedings on the case.

Shein’s sales in the past, for example in 2021, were far less than those of H&M, but it reached heights rapidly after the launch of new products, the Bloomberg report added. The new digital strategies of Shein on social media also attracted the attention of various companies and designers.

Apart from H&M, Shein has been facing several lawsuits in the United States as well. The lawsuits include cases of intellectual property violations.

On the other hand, Shein also sued a Chinese-owned online retailer Temu in 2022 and alleged an infringement of its trademark and copyright.