Knockoff Icelandic football jerseys are being sold online for a fraction of the price of the real thing, Vísir reports. Hundreds of orders have been placed through the website Ali Express for Icelandic football jerseys which costs only ISK 1.600 (USD 16/EUR 13). An authentic jersey bought from an Icelandic retailer sets customers back ISK 11.990 (USD 120/EUR 100), nearly 10 times more.
The knockoffs sold well before the 2016 UEFA Championships, leading to significant losses for Icelandic company Erreà Sport, which designed the Icelandic men’s national team’s new kit, and the Football Association of Iceland (KSÍ), who receives a percentage for each jersey sold.
In 2016 Erreà and KSÍ requested customs authorities suspend all shipments of the knockoffs on the grounds of design protection. KSÍ Director Klara Bjartmarz told Vísir she does not know what impact the action had but the issue is currently under review. Asked if the Icelandic jerseys are simply too expensive, Klara responds that jerseys are generally an expensive purchase.
“We know, however, where the Erreà jerseys are produced. I have personally been to Erreà’s factory in Italy and know how people’s conditions are and how old the people who work there are,” Klara remarked. “Whether the cheaper jerseys are produced in that way and are of similar quality I won’t say.”
