School House brand rocks ethical fashions

The UCF bookstore is now selling clothes that students can be feel good about wearing in more ways than one. The store now sells a fashion-forward line specifically made for UCF by School House, a company dedicated to creating socially responsible fashions for college campuses all across the country.

"The line is geared toward the college crowd, and the garments fit with that in mind," said Rachel Weeks, School House founder and CEO. "We don't try to design the same T-shirt for you and your grandmother."

Weeks strives to keep her clothing line "socially responsible" by paying her employees living wages as opposed to making them scrape by on the bare minimum. A graduate of the women's studies program at Duke University, Weeks began the clothing company in 2007 while overseas in Sri Lanka as a United States Fulbright scholar.

Weeks said it was important to her, above all, that the creativity behind the line was recognized and that employees receiving living wages was not only socially responsible, but "a way to honor the craft and ensure a quality product."

"I think it's awesome," sports and fitness major Robyn Hill said of the ethically friendly fashion line. "I don't really think about if my clothes were made ethically when I buy them, but it's definitely a bonus."

Although the ethical background of the clothing may not make or break a student buying them, finding out after the purchase may make a student feel better about the choice, Hill said.

Weeks hopes that the blend of fashion with ethics will be the reason School House will find success among college students.

"[I wanted to create] trendy clothing that was not unisex or sportswear, but created more with the collegiate in mind," Weeks said.

Each item in the School House line sold in the bookstore is specifically tailored to UCF. Many of the garments include a gold foil detail dedicated to the school's colors.

"And [the gold foil] makes it pop," Weeks said.

The prices range from $29.98 to $74.98, placing the line in the middle price range for UCF gear.

The UCF bookstore is currently School House's third best-selling store in the country. Weeks said that the relationship School House has with UCF is a special one that she wants to build on and grow. Currently the company is trying to establish relationships with their customers via the line's Facebook page by running contests and giveaways for their fans.

"We're not trying to be in 200 schools overnight; we want to grow the relationships we have," she said.

Weeks' company has grown to more than 100 universities nationwide and is exclusively manufactured in the U.S. She said that although School House has left its original home in Sri Lanka, it continues to support fair wages in the U.S. and is proud to attach "Made in America" tags to each item of clothing.

The passion put into the relationships with the schools and the creativity in the clothing is what Weeks hopes will set School House apart from anything else.

"Everything is made with great care, and we hope that comes through," she said.