Breaking down common threats encountered by fashion & apparel brands and strategies to effective brand protection.
Counterfeit products
Fake social media accounts
Fake store pages
Amazon
Etsy
eBay
Counterfeits cost the clothing industry €12 billion every year, around 5.2% of total sales.
Within the global trade in fake goods, clothing, footwear, and leather goods are among the most affected sectors, accounting jointly for 62% of seized counterfeit goods.
The secondhand apparel market is growing three times faster than the global clothing market but is increasingly affected by counterfeits.
After months of growing their brand on Instagram, our client discovered a new business page, using the exact same brand name and operating in a similar industry.
This account also actively used identical hashtags that the original brand had been promoting. As a result, customers began tagging the wrong account, leading to confusion and misattribution of purchases.
When a brand like this reaches out to Trama, the first step is understanding what’s happening and how much damage has already been done. Here's how we typically respond:
1. Infringement detection
We start by checking your trademark status to confirm what we can act on. Then, our team looks across major platforms - like Amazon, Etsy, and social media - to find any listings, profiles, or stores misusing your brand.
2. Threat assessment
Once we’ve mapped out what’s happening, we walk you through the findings clearly. You’ll see what the risks are, where they’re coming from, and how serious they may be. And most importantly, you choose how to respond.
3. Enforcement
From our experience, the combination of Warning Letters and takedown requests resolves about 97% of cases - often without the need for further legal action. Whatever your decision, we handle the next steps for you - making sure each case is followed up properly.
4. Ongoing protection
Once the initial threats are dealt with, we stay in your corner - monitoring your brand online and flagging new issues early, so you’re not caught off guard again.
Streetwear apparel
UK
An independent clothing brand known for its sustainable materials and clean, modern streetwear designs. The brand first gained popularity through Instagram before launching its own e-commerce website to meet growing demand.
Small business
Brand monitoring
Instagram profile takedown
Warning letter
Be notified every time your brand is at risk of being misused or copied.
