Fast Retailing Group, the parent company of Uniqlo, said on Tuesday that it had sued Shein in Japan late last year, accusing the Chinese cross-border e-commerce company of plagiarizing its popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag. Fast Retailing said in a statement that entities operating the Shein brand must immediately stop selling "imitation products" and compensate for losses.
The bag, which sells for about 1,500 yen ($10) in Japan, has become so popular around the world that Uniqlo has warned consumers to beware of fakes and similar products being sold online.
Fast Retailing Group stated that it had sued three Shein entities, including Roadget Business Pte, Fashion Choice Pte and Shein Japan Company, to the Tokyo District Court on December 28.
Fast Retailing said in a statement: "The company filed the lawsuit because it determined that the counterfeit products sold by Shein were very similar to its own products. The counterfeit products sold by Shein seriously damaged customers' high confidence in the UNIQLO brand and the quality of its products."