News + Trends

Crocs files lawsuit against 21 competitors

23.7.2021

Translation: Eva Francis

At the beginning of July, 21 American companies were presented with an official indictment for trademark infringement. The sender? Crocs. The shoe manufacturer accuses its competitors of copying its successful shoes, selling them off cheaply and thus infringing Crocs' trademark rights.

You either love them or hate them. Some find these moulded shoes incredibly ugly, others say they’re incredibly comfortable. Whichever camp you sit in, there’s no denying Crocs are a success story. I also own a pair. Granted, I don't think they're the most attractive shoes, but they're darn handy for going down to the letterbox or for gardening. May I add, I went for the discreet black version. And even if my colleague Vanessa Kim can't stand these bulky rubber shoes, they are very popular. Period. And whoever has so much success with something so simple, is bound to attract copycats. In Crocs’ case, there are plenty of them.

Slippers

CHF46.70

Crocs Classic

Slippers

Crocs Crocband

42, 43

Sandals

Crocs Classic Heart Print

30, 31

Slippers

CHF46.70

Crocs Classic

Slippers

Crocs Crocband

Sandals

Crocs Classic Heart Print

The inventors of the original Crocs aren’t having any of that. They’ve filed lawsuit against 21 companies in the US. One of them is Walmart, one of the world's largest department store chains. Producers, distributors and retailers are affected. The copycat versions are sold at much lower prices and look confusingly similar to genuine Crocs. Therefore, Crocs has now taken forceful steps to protect its trademarks and other intellectual property. As the company states, it has suffered irreparable damage and will continue to do so. «Business Insider»’s demand for a statement from Walmart has gone unanswered. At present, no details regarding the lawsuit have been published.