Global jeans giant Levi's has launched legal action against Australian clothing company Globe and one of its brands for sewing tags onto pockets, alleging it is a case of 'blatant copying' of its trademark design. The US denim giant made the same claim 15 years ago against the same brand, S-Double, which was founded by Shawn Stussy and is owned by Melbourne-based Globe.
Legal Allegations
Court filings in the northern district of California show that Levi's alleges the brand S-Double is guilty of trademark infringement, trade dress infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, and 'blatant copying'. Levi's claims it has lost sales and faced 'incalculable and irreparable damage to [its] goodwill, reputation and standing with consumers'. The filing states that the defendants targeted Levi's by infringing its trademarks and knew that their use of the pocket tab would harm the company.
'The Tab trademark is famous and recognised around the world and throughout the United States by consumers as signifying authentic, high-quality [Levi's] garments,' the filing reads. 'It was famous among the general consuming public long before Defendants began selling the products challenged in this Complaint.'
History of Disputes
Levi Strauss and Co regularly files lawsuits over the small fabric tab on the outside edge of its jeans' and shirts' pockets, with brands like Yves Saint Laurent and Brunello Cucinelli taken to court in recent years. Levi's products have featured pocket tabs since 1936, according to its website. Levi's alleged it settled a 2010 lawsuit with S-Double after the brand committed to avoid selling pants that had 'a label or tab or tab-like device, regardless of shape or color, affixed in any manner on a vertical seam of a rear pocket'.
However, S-Double then allegedly resumed selling clothes bearing 'nearly identical' pocket tabs, including shirts and pants with red, rectangular tabs on the outer edge of pockets. Shirts with white tabs also allegedly infringed Levi's trademark.
Demands and Impact
Levi's alleged it notified S-Double and Globe in March 2026 of the claimed infringement, demanding they stop selling the products and provide sales information for all products featuring infringing pocket tabs since 2011, but received no response. The lawsuit states, 'Defendants' actions have caused and will cause LS&Co. irreparable harm for which money damages and other remedies are inadequate.'
The brand has asked the court to stop S-Double from selling any goods resembling the pocket tab trademark and force it to provide a full list of people to whom they sold items breaching the trademark. It has also requested payment for all profits related to the sale of alleged infringing products, its own lost profits, damages, interest, and legal costs.
Levi's is valued at an estimated $8.8bn on the NYSE, while Globe is worth just $71m (A$100m) and makes most of its sales in Australia. S-Double and Globe were contacted for comment.
Company Statement
Levi's has stated on its website that it uses a range of colours and logos on its pocket tabs, leaving about one in 10 completely blank, to ensure it maintains its trademarks on the tab design. 'Some individuals might use a tab on their products but alter the name, attempting to argue that it's not an imitation due to the name change,' the website reads. 'Our blank Tab trademark protects the shape of the Tab itself – regardless of what is written on it.'
