Cardinal red and gold: these colors infiltrate students’ lives. From the stadium stands to the stickers on laptops, the signature USC brand is stamped into the school’s collective consciousness. Its use reflects a school spirit that goes beyond South Central Los Angeles — from the “USC Mom” hat in another city to the bumper sticker on a different state’s license plate. 

How does the sheer amount of merch align with the University’s sustainability goals? 

Darren James, the director of retail for USC Bookstores, wrote in a statement to the Daily Trojan that the bookstore maintains a dedication to sustainability.

“Our partnerships include brands that have environmental programs, and we require factory audits for all licensed manufacturers,” the statement read. “The USC Bookstore on campus is also an LA Certified Green Business. Unsold fashion merchandise is managed through a standard retail process of markdowns, liquidation sales, or donations.” 

To be declared a L.A.-certified Green Business, a simple application and assessment process takes place through the California Green Business Network. According to the organization’s website, being a green business means integrating practices that save energy and water and reduce waste. 

The USC Bookstore’s website states its goal to “implement green infrastructure and operations.” Alongside focusing on waste reduction as well as water and energy conservation, the store looks at an indirect carbon emissions supply chain assessment called “Scope 3.”

This assessment gauges a given business’ indirect contributions to carbon emissions including emissions from transportation and distribution, employee commuting, and purchased goods and services, among other metrics. These emissions, also known as value chain emissions, are known to contribute to the majority of a company’s greenhouse gas emissions. 

While merchandise is plentiful, the operations behind its production and distribution are less available to the public. Once approved by the USC licensing committee, part of the department for Trademarks and Licensing Services, the design makes its way to the bookstore displays where the inventory is divided into two categories. 

According to James, around 80% of the store’s products include classic logo apparel that may be sold over multiple years, depending on the product’s popularity. The remainder of the inventory goes toward seasonal and fashion-driven items with brand collaborations like Nike and Lululemon. 

Aadi Weber, a junior majoring in business administration, and Nare Babakhanian, a sophomore majoring in international relations, said they see the merchandise as excessive. 

“The manufacturing processes that we have, not just at USC but in the United States as well, are not the most sustainable from a carbon footprint perspective and also from a manufacturing perspective — who makes the clothes and [what are the company’s] labor ethics?” Weber said.

Addressing the topic of clothing quality, Avery Duong, a sophomore majoring in business administration, said she was concerned about the longevity of her purchases and expressed how there are too many styles to keep up with.

“Honestly, I feel like the quality of the merchandise produced is not the best, especially their t-shirts or tops. I would probably use them for one to two years and then get rid of them,” Duong said. “I think it’s currently fast-fashion, and there is just too much merch. We don’t need so many options in terms of tops, and there are so many collaborations. Keeping it to a smaller selection would definitely be more helpful.”

Other brands that the USC Bookstore collaborates with include Apple, Disney, Champion, Columbia and Hydroflask. Both Babakhanian and Duong said that they gravitated toward products from these collaborations as well as toward apparel that felt higher quality.

“I would tend to buy more good-quality brands that they collaborate with, like Nike or any sportswear brand,” Babakhanian said.

When purchasing products from the USC Bookstore, students also considered how multipurposeful and durable these goods may be, along with how fashionable a piece of apparel is. However, one of the most important factors in consumer choice was the price label attached to a specific product.

“I think there should be a cap on how much you’re spending, especially because [merchandise] is so expensive. If you’re spending more than $200 on merch, that’s really excessive,” said Diya Sadhu, a sophomore majoring in journalism.

Merchandise prices range from $0.99 to $699 not including tax or technology sold through Apple. Most clothing items also fall on a broad spectrum in price. Some pieces, such as the interlock faux leather letterman jacket, approach prices of $250 or more. 

Weber said this factor of costliness must correlate with a given product’s quality. 

“Being a college student, price is important. I also like to be comfortable,” Weber said. “If the material is something that will give me sensory issues, I will probably not buy it. The price and the quality: there has to be some sort of balance.”