Former politician Nick Xenophon to defend Aussie firm in ‘Ugg’ case
Former senator Nick Xenophon is joining a Sydney Ugg boot manufacturer in a David-and-Goliath legal stoush.
US footwear giant Decker's bought the rights to the name Ugg Australia during the 1990s, and now sells $1.5 billion of Ugg Australia boots a year.
But it is suing Sydney based company Australian Leather and its owner Eddie Oygur for selling Ugg boots in the US.
Mr Xenophon, a former high profile federal politician, is a member of the legal team heading to the US for a trial scheduled to start next week.
As a senator he championed the Sydney company’s stance and urged the federal government to protect the iconic Aussie term, just as Greece safeguards ‘feta’ and France protects ‘champagne’.
Mr Oygur claims the US company should not have the right to use the 'Ugg' name. Nine
Australian-made Ugg boots are dying out. Supplied
Deckers has claimed infringement of trademark and wants to seize the Sydney company’s stock of Ugg boots as well as property and bank accounts.
But Mr Oygur has launched counter legal action, claiming the American firm should not have the right to use the ‘Ugg’ name. He says it was a generic term which originated in Australia from the 1960s surfing community.
Mr Oygur’s western Sydney factory is one of just a few remaining authentic Australian Ugg boot manufacturers, where once there were 40.
He said cheaper Chinese-made imports were flooding the market.
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