J. Barbour & Sons Can’t Escape Levi’s Trademark Suit

British luxury clothing manufacturer J. Barbour & Sons Ltd. can’t escape a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by Levi Strauss & Co., a federal court ruled.

The court rejected J. Barbour’s argument that it should be dismissed from the case, which would have left its U.S. subsidiary Barbour Inc. as the sole defendant.

Levi’s marks its clothing with a distinctive “tab,” a trademarked textile marker bearing the company’s name sewn into the seam of its garments. Barbour’s goods are marked by its own trademarked “flag.” Levi claims there are significant similarities between the Levi tab and the Barbour flag which could ...