(NewsNation) — Athleisure brand Lululemon has launched a lawsuit against Costco, accusing the wholesale retailer of selling “knockoffs” of the brand’s apparel.
In court documents filed June 27, Lululemon alleged that Costco’s Kirkland brand has “chosen to copy rather than compete,” by selling dupes of its products, an infringement on its intellectual property and design patents.
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The lawsuit cites a handful of Lululemon products the company says have been replicated, such as its popular Scuba hoodies and sweatshirts, Define jackets and ABC pants.
Using screenshots, product details and price comparisons, the lawsuit calls attention to similarities in the construction of the products and accuses Costco of trying to “confuse consumers at the point-of-sale.”
Lululemon highlighted news article headlines like the Washington Post’s “Is That Hoodie a Lululemon or a Costco Dupe? No One Has to Know But You,” and the New York Times’ “Are These $20 Costco Pants a Lululemon Dupe? We Investigated.”
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According to the company, social media hashtags such as #LululemonDupes on platforms like TikTok have helped further promote the copycat products.
Lululemon’s attorneys have requested a jury trial, seeking an unspecified amount in monetary damages and for Costco to stop selling the contested products.
Costco did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
