Twenty One Pilots has filed a lawsuit against online retailer Temu over allegedly selling counterfeit merchandise. In the suit, Twenty One Pilots’ lawyers would call the platform a “veritable swamp of infringing and otherwise illegal products”.
Twenty One Pilots have accused online retail platform Temu of marketing and selling counterfeit versions of their merchandise in a new trademark infringement lawsuit.
Rolling Stone, which obtained a file of the suit, has reported that the band’s lawsuit is primarily filled with screenshots of items listed on Temu of fake Twenty One Pilots merch. These include posters, shirts, mugs, and socks. The suit would note that some items available appear to be identical to items currently for sale on the Twenty One Pilots’ website. Other items would also contain images and other art associated with the band, such as their 2015 album, Blurryface.
The complaint also alleges that Twenty One Pilots’ trademarks “have been damaged and put at risk by Temu’s knowing and systematic marketing and sale of counterfeit versions,” which they describe as “confusingly and/or virtually identical to” their own trademarked materials.
Twenty One Pilots make their stance on the platform known in their complaint, saying the retailer is “widely understood to be one of the most unethical companies operating in today’s global marketplace. Its business practices are believed to pose great threats to individuals, marketplaces, and the environment”.
Earlier this year, the European Consumer Orginsation released a report revealing that harmful chemicals in various products were being sold on Temu. Checks by the Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals found phthalates in plastic toys sold on the side, with some containing levels 240 times above the legal limit.
Twenty One Pilots’ lawyers went on to call Temu a “veritable swamp of infringing and otherwise illegal products,” adding that it “manufactures and sells a myriad of items that are counterfeit or blatant copies of [Twenty One Pilots’] artwork, trademarks, and intellectual property.”
Counterfeit merch has continued to be a problem for bands in recent years. Traditionally, merchandise would be one of the primary sources of revenue for touring bands to turn a profit. With low costs of streaming and the price of touring going up, merchandise revenue remains one of the most vital sources of income for bands. In 2023, Pitchfork reported that many venues have now started taking a percentage of artists’ merch sales, making it harder for artists to break even.
Billboard has also noted that suppliers for Benson Boon and Tate McRae have filed separate lawsuits, aiming to crack down on counterfeit items sold outside of their shows. Jeff Gluck, the exact attorney representing Twenty One Pilots, has also filed a similar infringement suit against Temu last month on behalf of MF Doom’s estate.
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