Uniqlo sues Shein, alleging retailer copied popular shoulder bag

Uniqlo, part of Fast Retailing Co., sued Shein in Japan, accusing the Chinese retailer of copying its popular Round Mini Shoulder bag.

Entities operating the Shein brand must immediately cease sales of “imitation products” and compensate for damages, Fast Retailing said in a statement on Tuesday.

The bag, sold for about 1,500 yen ($10) in Japan, has become a global hit, and Uniqlo is warning consumers about counterfeits and similar products sold online. Fast Retailing joins rival Hennes & Mauritz AB in suing Shein for copyright infringement in Hong Kong, where litigation aimed at mitigating the threat posed by the Chinese rival has been underway since 2021.

Representatives for Shein, which was founded in China and is now based in Singapore, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Uniqlo filed the lawsuit against Roadget Business Pte, Fashion Choice Pte. and Shein Japan Co. on December 28 in the Tokyo District Court.

“The company filed this complaint because it determined that the shape of the knockoff products sold by Shein closely resembles its own product,” Fast Retailing said in the statement. “The sale of imitation Shein products significantly undermines customers' high level of trust in the quality of the Uniqlo brand and its products.”