Lululemon Sues Costco over alleged ‘Dupe’ apparel

“As an innovation-led company that invests significantly in the research, development, and design of our products, we take the responsibility of protecting and enforcing our intellectual property rights very seriously and pursue the appropriate legal action when necessary,”said, Lululemon What’s at Issue The lawsuit highlights several Costco products Lululemon claims are knockoffs, including: The “Hi-Tec Men’s Scuba Full-Zip” and other sweatshirts, which allegedly copy Lululemon’s SCUBA line Jackets and pants under Costco’s Kirkland and other private labels, said to mimic Lululemon’s Define jackets and ABC pants Use of trademarked color names such as “TIDEWATER TEAL” to market Costco’s versions Lululemon argues that Costco’s actions are “an attempt to confuse consumers at the point-of-sale and/or observers post-sale into believing that the ‘dupes’ are Plaintiffs’ authentic products when they are not.” The company seeks damages for lost profits and a court order to stop Costco from selling the disputed items.

The Broader Context The popularity of “dupes”—affordable alternatives to premium products—has surged on social media, with hashtags like #LululemonDupes trending on TikTok…