Spyder said that after nearly eight years of action to assert legal ownership of the Spyder brand name overseas, it has  gained trademark brand name rights in China.


The Class 25 registration status gives Spyder the legal ability to assert ownership of the Spyder brand name in Chinese courts and administrative enforcement agencies. With the aid of the Chinese authorities, the company has a foothold in protecting their product by having greater power to shut down unauthorized production facilities and seize inventories of counterfeit goods in China. The landmark registration will strengthen the sales value for global retailers, uphold the brand’s integrity and constrain Chinese-based counterfeit operations.


“The strength of the Spyder brand has made us a target of counterfeiters,” said Tom McGann, CEO of Spyder. “These disreputable operations send sub-quality replicas of our product to the market, undermine our brand, confuse the consumer and steal dollars out of our retailer's hands.”


Spyder applied for Chinese registered trademark rights in April of 2003.


The company is confident the registration will curtail the future manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit materials by making the brand too costly and risky to replicate. Spyder retailers can look forward to a reduction in counterfeit goods in the US and Europe where current counterfeits are mainly seized at the border and distribution outlets. The trademark is paramount in authorizing more aggressive legal action at the development level before materials leave the country.