RIMOWA Enforces Sales Ban on Suitcase Copies Through Court

On March 6, suitcase manufacturer RIMOWA won a court case for plagiarism against Asian producer Travel Mate and three other companies. As a result, it ensured the cessation of production and sale of nine suitcase models featuring the characteristic groove design of RIMOWA.

The legal action began on October 17, 2014, when RIMOWA GmbH sued Travel Mate Co., Ltd. and three other trading companies for unfair competition and patent infringement in front of Seoul Central District Court.  During proceedings, RIMOWA claimed that the case from Travel Mate could potentially be confused with suitcases made by RIMOWA despite being a different brand (Landor & Hawa) because it had the same groove design that is characteristic of RIMOWA.

On March 6, 2015, the parties were able to end the case through a court settlement. RIMOWA thus secured an obligation on the part of the other companies to stop producing and distributing the disputed suitcase model as well as eight additional models with a grooved design.

RIMOWA is one of the leading premium brands worldwide for cases made from aluminum and the high-tech material polycarbonate, and it is one of the few manufacturers of travel luggage still producing in Germany. One could say that RIMOWA is probably the only manufacturer with a history stretching back over more than 115 years with a distinctive, deep-rooted tradition – an exceptional position in the industry.

To RIMOWA, ‘Made in Germany‘ and ‘German engineering’ are synonymous with outstanding materials, brilliant technology and extraordinary product design, crafted to the highest possible quality. For decades now, the identifying feature of the collections, which are being continually optimized, has been the elegant and unmistakable groove structure of the case shells.

The traditional company is based in Cologne and sells its products in over 65 countries worldwide through selected dealers and its own stores, the number of which is being continuously expanded across the globe.