Tokyo, Jan 17 (EFE).- Fast Retailing, parent company of the Japanese casual wear retailer Uniqlo, is suing Chinese fast fashion company Shein for allegedly copying its most popular bag.
The Japanese company filed the suit against Shein Japan, Roadget Business and Fashion Choice (the latter two linked to the first) in Tokyo District Court on Dec. 28, demanding “the immediate cessation of sales of imitation products,” Fast Retailing said in a statement released Tuesday.
It considers that Shein, a company founded in China and headquartered in Singapore, has violated the Unfair Competition Prevention Act and demands compensation for damages incurred as a result of sales.
“The Company filed this complaint because it has determined that the form of the imitation products sold by SHEIN closely resembles that of its own product, and that the sale of the imitation products by SHEIN significantly undermines the high level of customer confidence in the quality of the UNIQLO brand and its products,” the text adds.
Uniqlo sells its nylon “round mini shoulder bag,” the most popular bag in its history and which has sold out on several occasions, for 1,500 yen ($10), while a bag very similar can be found on the Shein Japan website for about 500 yen.
Fast Retailing said it respects the intellectual property rights of other companies, but “takes a resolute stance against any act that infringes on its intellectual property and will take appropriate measures in response, including legal action.”
The Uniqlo brand, which began in Yamaguchi in 1974, operates 2,491 stores in 26 markets around the world, according to data as of Dec. 31, 2023.
Shein, founded in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing in 2008, focuses on e-commerce and relies heavily on social media (especially Instagram and TikTok) and their influencers to win over younger generations.
In November, Shein filed for a United States IPO, reportedly seeking a valuation of as much as $90 billion. EFE
