Japanese clothing company Uniqlo has sued Chinese retailer Shein, accusing the company of copying its ‘Round Mini Shoulder Bag’ that went viral on TikTok.
Uniqlo filed documents in the Tokyo District Court on December 28 and requested Shein cease producing the ‘imitation products’ and compensate for damages.
Since last year, Fast Retailing, the company that operates Uniqlo, has been warning on its corporate website that counterfeits and similar products of the Round Mini Shoulder Bag were being distributed online. The company announced then that it would consider taking legal action against the company that manufactures and sells the product.
A Uniqlo representative shared a comment on the case:
“The shape of the counterfeit products sold by Shein is very similar tot he shape of our products, and the sale of counterfeit products by Shein is causing customers to criticize the Uniqlo brand and the quality of our products. We have judged that the high level of trust that has been placed in the company has been seriously damaged.”
Fast Retailing says that the group will take a ‘resolute stance’ and take appropriate measures, including legal action, against acts that infringe on the group’s intellectual property.
Shein has faced similar accusations of copying products on numerous occasions. Hollywood luxury brand Chrome Hearts sued the Chinese retailer in August 2023 for allegedly infringing trademarks. Last year, the company also faced a lawsuit from another Chinese online market company, Temu.
Shein gets called out like this pretty much every week. Since they’re chynees they never pay any damages. The most that happens is they pull the pirated product for a week or a month before selling it again.
Everyone already knows they’re knock offs if you just mention China lmao
China is nothing more than a Knock-off of itself.