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Australian Shoe Company Loses ‘Ugg’ Trademark Case in US Appeals Court

Ugg boots. Shutterstock.
Ugg boots. Shutterstock.

Shoe company, Australian Leather, lost an appeal in a US court to have the trademark for the word “ugg” revoked from its American owner, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, The New York Times reports.

The Australian catchall term “ugg” has been a reference to fleece-lined sheepskin boot since the 1930s, but the term was trademarked in the US by Australian entrepreneur, Brian Smith, in the mid-eighties and he then sold his business to Deckers, which currently owns the “Ugg Australia” trademark in 130 countries.

This largely prevents Australian bootmakers from selling their wares internationally (the term “ugg” is not subject to trademark in Australia). Deckers first launched legal action against Australian Leather owner, Eddie Oygur, in 2016, claiming trademark infringement after he sold 13 pairs of ugg boots in the United States through his website.

Oygur, who was ordered to pay Deckers $450,000 by an Illinois court in 2019, said he would now take the case to the US Supreme Court.

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