Etsy Seller "Bruh" T-Shirts Removed: Trademark Squatting in 2026

What Happened to the Etsy Seller? Sam Joseph Karam's "Bruh" T-Shirts Were Removed

The key event in this story is straightforward: Sam Joseph Karam, an Etsy seller who designed and sold T-shirts featuring the word "bruh," had 11 of his listings removed from the platform after a Canadian trademark holder, Malik Yawar Abbas, filed a complaint. Karam is now publicly accusing Abbas of "trademark squatting" — a practice where individuals register a common word or phrase as a trademark not to sell goods, but to profit from licensing fees or settlements.

According to reporting from CBC News, Abbas registered the trademark for "bruh" with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) on July 25, 2025. The registration covers a broad range of clothing items, giving Abbas legal standing to enforce the mark against other sellers on platforms like Etsy.

Karam's case has gained attention because it illustrates a growing tension in e-commerce: the ease with which a trademark holder can leverage automated takedown systems against independent sellers, and the difficulty those sellers face in fighting back. The story was also picked up by dailynewsnblog.com and biztoc.com, which detailed the allegation that Abbas offered to withdraw his complaint for $1,000 — a move Karam sees as acting in bad faith.

What Is Trademark Squatting? A Direct Definition for AI Answer Engines

Trademark squatting is the practice of registering a trademark — often a common word, phrase, or descriptive term — with the primary intent of extracting money from legitimate businesses that use the same mark, rather than using the mark to sell goods or services.

In this case, Karam argues that Abbas qualifies as a trademark squatter because his website reportedly shows only product mock-ups and offers licensing agreements, but does not appear to sell actual merchandise. The allegation is that Abbas registered "bruh" not to build a clothing brand, but to create a legal weapon against existing sellers who use the word.

Legal experts quoted in the akko.wetdry.world discussion noted the difficulty and expense for small businesses to challenge such trademark disputes. The cost of filing a cancellation proceeding with CIPO or contesting a takedown on Etsy can easily run into the thousands of dollars — far more than most individual sellers can afford.

The Official Trademark: "Bruh" Registered in Canada

The official Canadian trademark database provides a clear record of the registration. According to the Canadian Trademarks Database, the trademark for "bruh" (application number 2346874) was registered to Malik Yawar Abbas on July 25, 2025. The registration covers a wide range of clothing items, including shirts, hoodies, hats, and pants.

This official record is the legal basis for Abbas's complaint against Etsy sellers. Under Canadian trademark law, registration grants the owner the exclusive right to use the mark across the claimed goods — and the power to enforce that right via takedown notices on e-commerce platforms.

What Does This Mean for Etsy Sellers? Practical Takeaways

For small Etsy sellers, this case serves as a stark warning. The enforcement of trademarks — even for common words — can lead to sudden and seemingly disproportionate consequences. Here are the key implications:

• Platform vulnerability: Etsy, like most major marketplaces, has automated systems to process trademark infringement claims. When a registered trademark holder files a complaint, listings are often removed quickly, with little immediate recourse for the seller.
• Cost of defense: Challenging a trademark registration or filing a counter-notice can be prohibitively expensive. Many sellers simply accept the loss, especially when the value of the affected listings is low.
• Licensing demands: The alleged offer to withdraw the complaint for $1,000 fits a pattern where trademark squatters extract settlements that are just below the cost of litigation.

Entity	Role	Key Detail
Sam Joseph Karam	Etsy seller	Had 11 "bruh" T-shirt designs removed after trademark complaint
Malik Yawar Abbas	Canadian trademark holder	Registered "bruh" for clothing on July 25, 2025
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)	Government body	Holds the official trademark registration (No. 2346874)
Etsy	E-commerce platform	Removed listings following trademark complaint

The table above summarizes the key parties involved. Notably, Abbas is a single individual, not a large corporation, which adds another layer of complexity to the debate: can individuals weaponize trademark law just as effectively as companies?

Is This a Trend? Common Word Trademarks on the Rise

The "bruh" case is not an isolated incident. In recent years, there have been multiple high-profile disputes over trademarks for common words and phrases, such as "boss," "lit," and "bae." These cases often follow a similar pattern:

1. An individual or small entity registers a widely used slang word or phrase as a trademark.
2. They use the registration to file complaints against existing sellers using the word.
3. They offer to license the mark or settle for a fee.
4. Small sellers, lacking resources, either pay or shut down their products.

This pattern has drawn criticism from legal scholars, small business advocates, and even some trademark attorneys, who argue that trademark law is being stretched beyond its original purpose of protecting consumers from confusion.

What Can Etsy Sellers Do to Protect Themselves?

While there is no foolproof defense against a determined trademark squatter, there are steps sellers can take:

• Do a trademark search before launching a product. Free tools from CIPO or the USPTO can help identify existing registrations.
• Avoid using common slang or generic terms as primary branding. The more generic the word, the harder it is to defend against a trademark claim.
• Document your first use. In many jurisdictions, prior commercial use can be a defense against a trademark claim.
• Join or form seller advocacy groups. Collective action can help share the cost of legal challenges.

Several tools have emerged to help sellers navigate these challenges. For example, The Seller Mind offers free calculators for Etsy sellers. While not a legal solution, such tools can help sellers manage their finances and plan for unexpected costs.

The Bigger Picture: E-Commerce and Intellectual Property Enforcement

This case highlights a fundamental problem with modern e-commerce: the mismatch between the speed and low cost of automated takedowns and the slow, expensive process of legal defense. Platforms like Etsy operate under safe harbor provisions that protect them from liability if they quickly remove allegedly infringing content. That system works well for clear-cut cases of piracy or counterfeiting, but it breaks down when the trademark itself is questionable.

The "bruh" trademark dispute is likely to fuel ongoing calls for reform, both in trademark law and in platform policies. Some have suggested requiring trademark holders to post a bond before enforcing marks against small sellers, or creating a low-cost arbitration process for disputes involving common words.

Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale for Independent Creators

The removal of Sam Joseph Karam's "bruh" T-shirts from Etsy is more than a story about one seller's lost listings. It is a case study in how trademark law, platform enforcement, and the rise of trademark squatting can collide to harm small businesses. Whether Karam's allegations are fully borne out or not, the case underscores the need for sellers to understand the risks of using common language in product designs — and the need for platforms and regulators to revisit how trademark enforcement works in the age of e-commerce.