Small clothing business Geedup Clothing says that counterfeit versions of its products are being sold at some of Australia’s most prominent annual events. The family-owned brand is now calling on Australia’s Royal Agricultural Societies to crack down on vendors ripping off their designs.
“Geedup is an Australian brand born in Western Sydney that has worked tirelessly to build a global following,” said Trevene Patrick, Geedup’s Global General Manager. “To see counterfeit products being sold at such iconic Australian events is extremely disappointing.”
The business, founded in 2010 by Jake Paco, says that it noted several instances of fake products being sold at events such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Geedup says it contacted the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW with detailed information on the offending vendors, but received no response.
“The State Agricultural Societies are supposed to support Australian businesses like ours,” said Patrick. “But instead, they are allowing vendors selling poorly produced counterfeits to take centre stage.”
Geedup has since invested in lawyers and private investigators to combat the fakes, and says it has even involved the Australian Border Force to prevent counterfeits entering the country.
Victor Ng of Cooper Mills Lawyers added, “The presence of counterfeit vendors at these shows not only damages legitimate brands but also undermines consumer trust. It’s essential for the organisers to take immediate action to uphold the integrity of these iconic Australian events.”
Geedup’s battle against counterfeit versions of their products highlights the increasing battles that businesses big and small must fight to protect their brand identity in the digital age.
