L.L. Bean sues biggest promotional products company in US, 4imprint, for alleged trade mark infringement

Photo by Nick Martin on Unsplash

US outdoor apparel and accessories company L.L. Bean, which reported revenue of $1.7bn in 2023, is suing promotional products marketer 4imprint over the latter’s use of the term “Boat Tote” which L.L. Bean says is infringing its registered trade mark for “Boat and Tote”.

4imprint is the biggest distributor of promotional products by turnover in the US, with sales of $1.36bn in 2024, according to Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the US promotional products industry trade body. However, 4imprint’s parent company, 4imprint Group plc, is UK based, and listed on the London Stock Exchange,

L.L. Bean’s lawsuit, filed on Monday 31/03/25 in U.S. District Court in Maine, claims that 4imprint is marketing and selling canvas tote bags under the name “Boat Tote,” a phrase L.L.Bean argues is too similar to its registered “Boat and Tote” trademark. The lawsuit includes an image of the L.L. Bean product and the relevant 4imprint product, as shown in this story on the case on US website Law.com.

L.L. Bean originally launched a heavy-duty carrier – for blocks of ice for fishermen and other outdoors activities – in 1944. This was then relaunched as the “Boat and Tote” bag in 1965. “Boat and Tote” was registered as a trade mark with the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1979; it was last renewed in January, 2022.

The company points out that it has continuously sold the bags under the Boat and Tote name for 60 years, and that it spends $1m a year on advertising the range around the world. It also has a division, L.L. Bean for business, which markets Boat and Tote products for corporate gifting. L.L. Bean claims “Boat and Tote” products generate $10m in annual revenue for the company.

4imprint has not yet made any comment.