A YouTube content creator from Bengaluru, who recently visited Harvard University, was taken aback when he found that the official merchandise he planned to purchase for Rs 12,000 was labeled “Made in Pakistan.”
Ishan Sharma, 23, shared his surprise on X, posting, “Came to Harvard to buy merch. This one’s Rs. 12,000! But Made in Pakistan?!”.
His post quickly gained traction, with many users advising against the purchase, citing poor quality. “Quality is really bad. I picked a few last year and 2-3 washes later, they’re good only for mopping the floor. Official merch,” commented a user.
Another user added, “Don’t buy that stuff, it’s the worst. Mine got lint after just one wear.”
Others pointed out that the high price reflected the brand value, not the manufacturing cost.
“Why do we always convert everything into INR? It’s just around $145. You’ll ask for $100,000 a year in the US and won’t convert that to INR. Remember, you’re paying for the brand, not the manufacturing cost,” noted Munish Arora.
Despite the controversy over the merchandise, Sharma described his visit to Harvard as “epic,” sharing that he toured the libraries, the John Harvard statue, the Harvard Shop, the Yard, and even interacted with students. “It’s like a little town of all red buildings! A dream college for me at 17, watching documentaries and films like The Social Network,” he added.
