Hey, Friendly PSA From An Australian: Please For The Love Of Fuck Do Not Buy UGG™ Boots.

Hey, friendly PSA from an Australian: please for the love of fuck do not buy UGG™ boots.

Ugg boots (generic term, not trademarked) are a traditional sheepskin slipper and are usually made by small family owned businesses using local artisans and Australian sheepskin. They are not a fashion item. They are the warmest and comfiest slippers you'll own, and the sort of thing so daggy I'd get embarrassed if my parents wore them out further than the driveway.

Then Deckers, an American footwear brand, decided to step in and trademark the term ugg. There was a protracted legal battle, and they lost the trademark in Australia but kept it everywhere else in the world. This means that Australian bootmakers can only use the word "ugg" in Australian markets. You'd better believe Deckers are suing any small business that dares try to sell ugg boots outside Australia, for copyright infringement and some bullshit about "damaging their brand".

On top of which, instead of high quality locally made boots where workers are getting paid fairly, they've outsourced production to China.

So fuck UGG™, fuck Deckers, and please support small businesses (if you can do so without getting them sued).