Rise in Popularity, Counterfeiting, Theft, and Trademark Infringement Lawsuit
In the late 1990s and early 2000s with the rise of wilderness chic, The North Face became a well-known brand and its popularity increased substantially. Due to the high demand for and the high prices of these products, a market developed for counterfeit The North Face goods. The massive counterfeiting has prompted the creation of a website with information for consumers intending to purchase North Face items online in 2004.
The North Face products are also targets for theft. In early 2005, a group of teenagers from Washington D.C. were arrested on charges including the armed robbery of specifically The North Face jackets from randomly picked students on the street.
In December 2008, The North Face filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri against The South Butt, its creator James A. Winkelmann, Jr., and a company which handled the marketing and manufacturing details for the company. In the legal action, The North Face alleged trademark infringement and sought injunctive relief. After the court ordered mediation in the case, the parties reached a closed settlement agreement on April 1, 2010; however, in October 2012, Winkelmann admitted in court that he and his father violated the settlement agreement with The North Face and agreed to pay $65,000, an amount that will be reduced by $1,000 for every month of compliance.
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