Uniqlo has sued operators of the Shein retail brand in Japan, accusing the online fashion giant of selling a product that imitated the form of its popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag.

Uniqlo said in an announcement to investors that it filed a lawsuit against three companies, Roadget Business Pte. Ltd., Fashion Choice Pte. Ltd., and Shein Japan Co., Ltd in Tokyo on Dec. 28, 2023.

Uniqlo said that the sale of the alleged imitation products violates Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act and "undermines the high level of customer confidence in the quality of the Uniqlo brand and its products".

Uniqlo, a brand under the Fast Retailing Co. Ltd, also demanded “the immediate cessation of sales of the imitation products, and compensation for damages incurred”.

Carry 'em all

Uniqlo's nylon Round Mini Shoulder Bag is one of the casual wear brand's best-sellers in Singapore, where it retails for S$19.90.

Many TikTokers have praised the bag for its ability to store many items despite its small appearance.

@ana.kosmos_ Replying to @papillonessa yes! Uniqlo round mini shoulder bag! This is my 2nd video about this bag bc i just love it so much ahaha #uniqlo #uniqlobagviral #uniqlobag #travelbag ♬ original sound - Ana

Some have even called it a "Mary Poppins bag", a reference to the popular fantasy character who has a magical carry-all bag.

@t8ert0tz my mary poppins bag 💖 #uniqlobagviral #uniqlobagchallenge ♬ Oogum Boogum Song - Brenton Wood

Previously sued by H&M

Founded in China, the online fashion retailer offers cheap and trendy apparel and accessories. It is currently based in Singapore.

The fast fashion brand is no stranger to being on the defending end of copyright infringement lawsuits.

In 2021, Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) in Hong Kong brought a lawsuit against Shein, accusing the latter of copying its designs. Bloomberg called it a "rare example of an established brand suing Shein"

After a Hong Kong High Court hearing in June last year, the Stockholm-based company released details of its filing, including photos of swimwear and sweaters which the fashion brand claimed were evidence of design theft.

Will Shein be able to go public?

With a rumoured value at US$66 billion (S$88.70 billion) in May 2023, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported in Nov. 2023 that Shein's revenues were recorded at US$23 billion (S$30.91 billion) in 2022.

China's Shanghai Securities Journal reported in November 2023 that the fast-fashion giant "confidentially" filed an initial public offering (IPO) in the U.S. that month.

However, one unnamed source told Reuters that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had yet to respond to Shein’s initial public offering filing as of Jan. 13.

In addition, Shein has been accused of exploiting “unpaid” labour and having production processes that aren't transparent.

According to Bloomberg in 2022, Shein's garments allegedly contained cotton linked to the Xinjiang region in China.

The U.S. claims, that China subjects the ethnic Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region to forced labour.

Shein refuted the allegation, claiming that it had "zero tolerance" for forced labour, reported Reuters.

The online retailer said that its suppliers are required to adhere to "a strict code of conduct that is aligned to the International Labour Organization’s core conventions".

Top images from Uniqlo/Instagram.