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Birkenstock sandals are not works of art, German court rules

A German court ruled that Birkenstock sandals do not qualify as works of art and therefore cannot be protected by copyright laws, according to presiding judge Thomas Koch.
Birkenstock claimed its footwear design should be protected due to popularity, but the court stated that shoes serve a practical purpose.
The Federal Court of Justice confirmed an appeals court's decision, stating that practical design items do not qualify for copyright protection.
Under German law, for a product to be copyright-protected, it must show a certain level of individual creativity, which the court determined Birkenstock sandals lacked.

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Straight Arrow News

Birkenstock sandals are not art, a German court rules in copyright case

A German court has ruled that Birkenstock sandals are not a form of art. Birkenstock had sought to classify its shoes as art to be afforded copyright protections. In Germany, copyright protections last 70 years, while design protections only last 25. The company wanted to prevent its competitors from making similar shoes, and have those products destroyed. Full Story While many people may consider fashion a form of art, one German court does not…

15 hours ago

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sherwood.news

Birkenstocks are not works of art, court rules

But the company’s revenue chart paints a pretty picture, as sales rose again in Q1....

16 hours ago

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Sky News UK

Birkenstock sandals are not works of art, German court rules

The shoe company argued its sandals "are copyright-protected works of applied art" that may not be imitated - in an effort to try and stop copy-cat sellers.

19 hours ago·United Kingdom

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Euronews

What a piece of art is a sandal? Birkenstock in legal German battle

Can sandals be art? Birkenstock says yes, but a German court says no.

21 hours ago·France

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CNN

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Associated Press News

+6 Other sources

Can sandals be art? Birkenstock says yes, but a German court says no

Birkenstock sandals are ubiquitous in summer. But can the well-known footwear be considered art? That’s the question Germany’s Federal Court of Justice had to wrestle with on Thursday.

1 day ago·Atlanta, United States

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Krem2 News

+2 Reposted by 2 other sources

German court says Birkenstock sandals aren't works of art

The shoe manufacturer claimed its sandals “are copyright-protected works of applied art” that may not be imitated in a lawsuit against makers of similar footwear.

1 day ago·Spokane, United States

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