Why Is Urban Outfitters Hawking the UFW Logo on a Denim Shirt?

Aug 5, 2013
12:30 PM

UPDATE: 8:30 pm EST, August 5, 2013: The UFW and Urban Outfitters both issued statements. The shirt is gone. Read more here.

UPDATE: 7:45 pm EST, August 5, 2013: The UFW’s Twitter sent us the following tweet:

UFW20

UPDATE: 1:20 pm EST, August 5, 2013: The UFW’s Twitter has responded to the story:

UFW2

We got this story from our dear friends at Voto Latino, whose admin shared the following post on its Facebook page today:

voto

This weekend I was surprised to see the well-known logo of the United Farm Workers on a shirt at Urban Outfitters in DC. I took a look at the tags and there was zero mention of the UFW or the history of the logo. The UFW logo was first designed in 1962 by Cesar Chavez, Richard and Manuel Chavez.

The shirt sells for $64.00. http://goo.gl/UzXNck

UFW Trademark Status: http://goo.gl/yGGLZT

Voto Latino’s Steve Alfaro also tweeted it out:

Response to the shirt has already gotten reaction on Voto’s Facebook:

“I was lucky enough to have quite a few Mexican friends when I was growing up in So Cali. they were some of the greatest people I have ever met. to see this just makes me mad, so many people in the sixties fought for freedom under that sign, it probably still makes the grape growers in Cali squirm. Not all Caucasians are as messed up as the ones you know some of us stand with our Latino brothers and sisters. you are not alone.”

“Bootlegging your logo for profit its what gringos do.”

“that is just wrong they should be made to pay 50 percent of every sale to the farmworkers, it is their logo not some sweat shop owner”

“Lawsuit! It is a copy no matter what way the head is facing…I walked alongside F.L.O.C. …this is NOT a fashion statement…period! It is a symbol of a labor movement that hits home to many of us!”

Voto Latino is already trying to get more information and updates, so for the latest you can check in with them on Facebook. Here is what their account has said so far: “FYI: The original UFW logo does have the eagles head facing to the the right. KOTO/UO version has it facing to the left.” Voto also shared the UFW’s trademark status:

UFW

This is not the first time Urban Outfitters has delved into this mess. Who could ever forget the “Juan at Walmart” shirt?