Ugg boots

For the particular brand, see UGG (brand).

A pair of ugg boots

Ugg boots[1] are a unisex style of sheepskin boot originating in Australia. The boots are typically made of twin-faced sheepskin with fleece on the inside, a tanned outer surface and a synthetic sole. The term "ugg boots" originated in Australia, initially for utilitarian footwear worn for warmth, and which were often worn by surfers during the 1960s. In the 1970s, the boots were introduced to the surf culture of the United Kingdom and the United States. Sheepskin boots became a fashion trend in the U.S. in the late 1990s and a worldwide trend in the mid-2000s. In Australia, they are worn predominantly as slippers and often associated with daggy fashion sense and bogan culture.[2]

Prior legal disputes between some manufacturers of sheepskin boots arose as to distinguish whether "ugg" is a protected trademark, or a generic term and thus ineligible for trademark protection. There are more than 70 registered trademarks that include the term "ugg" in various logos and designs in Australia and New Zealand, as the term is considered a generic reference to a type of shoe.[3][4][5][6] Outside Australia and New Zealand, UGG is a brand manufactured by the California-based Deckers Outdoor Corporation, with most of its manufacturing based in China and with registered trademarks in over 130 countries worldwide including the US, UK, Canada, all European Union members, and China.[4][7] Despite the difference in capitalisation and pronunciation (e.g., yew-gee-gee[8] in China), Deckers Corporation actively asserts its "UGG" trade mark against Australian traders who sell their "ugg boots" overseas.[9]

Noteworthy manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand are EMU Australia, Uggs-N-Rugs and Ugg Australia.[10] While Deckers is often referred to as the leading manufacturer of the footwear style outside Australia,[11] Deckers refers to its boots as the "UGG-brand" boot, and associates it with a "California lifestyle".[12] Following an investigation by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission into allegedly misleading and deceptive use of "Australia" in its branding, Deckers has rebranded from "UGG Australia" to "UGG".[13]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Thompson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference katz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Kell, John (9 December 2010). "Emu Australia amused by Deckers lawsuit over 'ugg', 'ugg boot' trademarks". The Australian. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference UggHowAMinnow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hynes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Trade Marks Hearings 16 January 2006. Decision of a delegate of the registrar of trade marks with reasons. Pg 10
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Turkish was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Marisa Meltzer (30 March 2016). "Ugg: the look that refused to die". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  9. ^ Australian ugg boot maker loses appeal against US giant Deckers ABC News
  10. ^ "The Australian Made Campaign: Ugg Australia". australianmade.com.au. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference PJS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Deckers – Footwear brands
  13. ^ Battle to use the term 'ugg boots' continues in US court Sydney Morning Herald 3 May 2017