Crocs sues Walmart, Hobby Lobby and others for allegedly copying its popular shoe

By Parija Kavilanz, CNN Business

Crocs is accusing Walmart, Hobby Lobby and other companies of copying its iconic clog.

The shoemaker filed four trademark infringement lawsuits last week in several US district courts against about 20 companies it alleges are violating its trademarks and other intellectual properties on the shoes.

In one of the lawsuits, which was filed in the US District Court of Colorado against Walmart, Hobby Lobby and shoes and handbag maker Loeffler Randall, Crocs alleges that Walmart is selling cheaper knockoffs of its $50 clogs under a variety of different names, such as “Time and Tru” and “George.”

In the same suit, Crocs cited Hobby Lobby’s $12 “white foam clogs ladies shoes” as an alleged knockoff of its original clog shoe.

The suit also called out an “Ezra Black Rubber Clog” from Loeffler Randall as what it said was as a copycat shoe of its clog.

Walmart, Hobby Lobby and Loeffler Randall did not immediately offer responses to requests for comment.

Crocs said in the Colorado suit that such copycat products are “likely to cause confusion or mistake, or to deceive customers, and therefore infringes Crocs’ trademarks.”

Crocs’ clog was once mocked, but it has become adored in recent years. And for some comfort-seeking consumers, it is the go-to shoe of the pandemic.

The company logged its best sales year ever in 2020 and has been locking in high-profile celebrity and brand collaborations, which Gen Z and millennial shoppers can’t seem to resist.

Those have included special-edition collaborations with Post Malone, Justin Bieber and fast-food chain KFC, where shoes came with attachable charms that looked and smelled like fried chicken. A glow-in-the-dark collaboration with Latin trap artist Bad Bunny sold out quickly after its September launch last year.

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