"Stop the Counterfeits"... Japan's Uniqlo Files Compensation Lawsuit Against 'Chinese Version of Uniqlo'

Chinese Shopping App 'Shein' Faces Approximately 1.5 Billion KRW Compensation Lawsuit
"Selling Counterfeit Goods Damages Uniqlo's Trust"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Japanese SPA brand 'Uniqlo' has filed a lawsuit demanding damages against the Chinese shopping app operator 'Shein'. The reason is that 'Shein' sold counterfeit products that copied the design of Uniqlo's bags.

On the 17th, Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that Uniqlo submitted a complaint to the Tokyo District Court on the 28th of last month, claiming that "the bags sold by Shein closely resemble Uniqlo's 'Round Mini Shoulder Bag'" and demanding compensation of about 160 million yen (approximately 1.45 billion KRW).

Uniqlo argued that "Shein's sale of counterfeit products severely damages customers' high trust in the Uniqlo brand and its products." It is reported that this is the first time Uniqlo has sued an operating company over counterfeit sales in Japan. The 'Round Mini Shoulder Bag' was first introduced in 2020 and is sold in Japan for 1,500 yen (about 14,000 KRW).

Uniqlo 'Round Mini Shoulder Bag'. [Image source=Uniqlo website·Yonhap News]

Shein is an ultra-low-cost fashion shopping mall often called the 'Chinese version of Uniqlo.' Founded in 2012 in Nanjing, China, Shein rapidly grew by emphasizing ultra-low prices in an era of high inflation, offering skirts for $5 and jeans for $9. Shein currently sells products in more than 150 countries outside China. Last year, it was reported that Shein secretly applied for an initial public offering (IPO) on the U.S. stock market.

However, Shein has previously been involved in controversies over design copyright infringement. Nikkei reported, "Shein, which provides services in 150 countries and regions worldwide, has many products suspected of trademark and copyright infringement," and that Swedish fashion company H&M also sued Shein over copyright issues.