When Sam Joseph Karam received an email from e-commerce platform Etsy informing him that 11 of his T-shirt designs featuring the term “bruh” were removed due to trademark infringement, he became suspicious. Karam, the owner of the U.S.-based apparel company Customized Designs, noticed the unusual volume of takedowns compared to his usual experience.
Additionally, Etsy revoked Karam’s Star Seller badge, impacting his sales performance. The email from Etsy attributed the complaint to Malik Yawar Abbas, the holder of a Canadian trademark for the term “bruh.”
Karam, along with other Etsy sellers, reported similar incidents where their listings were removed following complaints by Abbas. Karam accused Abbas of trademark squatting, suggesting that Abbas aims to profit by licensing the term rather than producing related products.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office issued a trademark for “bruh” in July 2025 for clothing sales, with another trademark granted to Abbas for restaurant services advertising. Despite attempts to contact CIPO for clarification on the trademark, no response was provided.
Upon investigating Abbas’s website, Karam found details on how Abbas protects the “bruh” trademark and offers licensing options for its use, rather than selling actual products. When Karam reached out to Abbas regarding the takedowns, Abbas proposed a $1,000 payment to withdraw the complaints, which Karam refused.
Abbas defended his actions, stating the $1,000 was part of a settlement offer and emphasizing that the trademark was lawfully registered for commercial licensing purposes. Abbas retracted the complaints after the listings were removed, but Karam expressed dissatisfaction with the situation.
Karam is exploring legal options to challenge the trademark’s validity based on bad faith. A recent addition to Canada’s trademark laws allows for invalidating trademarks filed in bad faith, although the outcome remains uncertain.
Trademark experts suggest that trademark ownership does not equate to complete control over a word. The context in which the term is used determines infringement. Despite the ongoing dispute, Abbas clarified that his intent was not to restrict everyday use of the term but to protect his trademark rights.
Etsy’s response emphasized the platform’s obligation to remove infringing items upon valid notices, with sellers encouraged to communicate with the complainant for resolution. Experts believe tighter regulations and improved appeal processes could mitigate trademark disputes like this in the future.