Harris Tweed bosses have won a legal battle with a Chinese clothing firm over its name.
The body which protects the iconic Scottish cloth took action after the Far East-based company attempted to launch a new line called Arris.
Harris Tweed, whose celebrity fans include singer Madonna and actress Gwyneth Paltrow, is handwoven by islanders in the Outer Hebrides.
ChengDu Tianyu Gaoke Hi-Tech applied to register the name Arris as a trademark in Europe to protect its brand.
However, the Stornoway-based Harris Tweed Authority (HTA) objected to the move, saying the name was too similar to their own trademark Harris Tweed and would confuse customers and threaten the business.
Lawyers for the body, which safeguards the reputation of Harris Tweed, argued that because people in Spanish and French-speaking countries don’t pronounce the “H” in Harris, the names would be identical.
The European Intellectual Property Office, which settles trademark disputes, has now ruled in Harris Tweed’s favour and said Arris cannot be trademarked.
ChengDu Tianyu Gaoke Hi-Tech was ordered to pay £561 towards HTA’s costs in the case.
Colin Hulme, HTA’s lawyer, said: “We are very pleased that the EUIPO upheld its opposition to the grant of the Arris trademark application for clothing.”
