New Delhi: In a verdict that elevates the humble hawai chappal to an object of “novelty”, the Delhi High Court has upheld a design infringement injunction in favour of manufacturer Relaxo Footwears, ruling that even everyday flip-flops can embody protectable creative expression.

Dismissing an appeal filed by Aqualite Industries, the HC Tuesday held that Relaxo (Bahamas brand) had established a strong prima facie case of design piracy and that a single judge was right in granting an interim injunction in 2021 barring Aqualite from manufacturing and selling slippers that mirror Relaxo’s patented “side-ridge” design.

“Relaxo Footwears makes, among other kinds of footwear, hawai slippers–the Indian avatar of flip flops,” notes the order by a division bench of Justices C. Hari Shankar and

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