Sheepskin bootmakers win ugly

Sheepskin bootmakers win ugly

AUSTRALIAN manufacturers of sheepskin boots have won back the right to call their shoes uggs.

The name ugg, or ugh, for the popular boots, which have been sold and worn in Australia for decades, was registered as a trademark in the early 1970s and bought by an American company, Deckers, in 1995.

As the fleecy boot became a fashion must-have in recent years, Deckers successfully took legal action in 2003 to prevent local companies using the name ugg.


Small Australian ugg bootmakers together tried to legally reclaim the name, which originated in Australia in the late 1960s as a short form for ugly.

Perth retailers Bronwyn and Bruce McDougall lodged applications with the Government trademark regulator, IP Australia, in December 2003, attempting to reclaim the term ugh-boots from Deckers.

This week the McDougalls received the news that the name is to be removed from the Australian register of trademarks, meaning it is now a generic name.

Mrs McDougall said they were elated by the decision.

"We are absolutely thrilled to bits," she said. "This is a moral victory for all Australians."

David Stewart, SC, who represented the McDougalls, said the result would come as good news to many Australians. "What it effectively means, if [Deckers] don't appeal it and the decision stands, then they won't be able to send out letters to people telling them to stop using the word ugg or ugg boots," he said. "So with that monopoly removed it means anyone can use the word ugg-boots to describe their goods within Australia."

Mr Stewart said Deckers owned the trademark in other jurisdictions, including the US. But he said the Australian decision could have flow-on effects overseas. A representative for Deckers could not be reached for comment.


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