A merch drop tries to get people talking about student debt

Instead of school pride, NFA's sweaters let people show how much they still owe.
By
December 16, 2022

People are usually reluctant to talk about how much student loan debt they are carrying, but a new merch collection is letting sweaters do the talking instead.

Created by No Fixed Address for U.S-based advocacy organization Student Debt Crisis Center, the sweaters are fully personalized with the amount an individual currently owes, as well as their school colours.

A “first drop” of the “Major Debt” collection has already been given to public figures that have advocated for student debt relief. Others who wish to have their own sweater can submit a pre-order with their personalization details on the organization’s website.

“We wear our school sweatshirts with pride – even when, in reality, that sweatshirt is costing the average American nearly $40,000 in student loan debt,” said Alexis Bronstorph, CCO at No Fixed Address. “It’s time to stop hiding from these numbers and start taking a stand against them.”

There is often reluctance among people in debt to openly discuss their struggles repaying student loans. Natalia Abrams, president of the Student Debt Crisis Center, said part of the campaign is to spark conversation and show that these staggering debts are a policy failure, not a personal one.

“It is our hope that the imagery both highlights the outrageous cost of higher education and empowers students, borrowers and parents to engage with their communities to create solutions that end the student debt crisis once and for all,” she says.

Americans currently owe more than $1.7 trillion USD in student loans, with an average debt load of $40,000. This has made student debt relief or forgiveness a major political issue. U.S. president Joe Biden announced a debt relief program earlier this year, though it faced criticism for the amount of funding available and the fact that only those making under a certain amount annually would be eligible. Despite this, it is estimated that nearly 20 million people would have their loans totally wiped out by the plan, with 26 million people already applying.

But because it is a political issue, it has faced challenges from Biden’s political opponents. These have been successful in delaying distribution of funds until at least February, following a Supreme Court hearing.