DyStar® secures destruction of patent-infringing dyes

Esther Pujol

The  destruction is the latest success in the company’s anti-counterfeiting program  in Turkey, which has so far resulted in more than 100 tons of  infringing products being seized

Turkey – 13 November 2018  DyStar® has been successful in securing the destruction of 3.3 tons of textile dyes that infringed one of its patents for reactive red dyes. The dyes were detained at Mersin Free Zones following DyStar’s customs application. The specialized Istanbul IP Court subsequently granted a preliminary injunction order. The destruction took place earlier than expected on 18 September 2018 as the defendant agreed to the destruction and payment of compensation to DyStar before the final verdict of the Court.  

DyStar has implemented an anti-counterfeiting program worldwide since 2013. Turkey has rapidly become one of the most successful jurisdictions in implementing the program. As part of the enforcement program, DyStar recorded its patents with Turkish Customs, carried out training, analyzed each of the seized product samples promptly and took action over each infringing product by initiating court proceedings where there was no settlement. Thanks to these actions, DyStar has secured the seizure of more than 100 tons of infringing product in Turkey.

Based on this effective program, 50 custom suspension notifications were notified from 4 customs administrations. DyStar filed 14 court actions for infringement of its patents. A total of 7 nullity actions against its asserted patents were received as counter-attacks, and 5 of these cases have already been finalized – all in favor of DyStar. This result indicates the strength of DyStar’s patents.  

Within this program, more than 100 informative or warning letters regarding DyStar’s patents have been sent to customers and target companies to build awareness in the market.

In 2017, DyStar and its attorneys at Deris were invited to present the program as an example of best practice in a conference held within the context of the EU–Turkish Ministry project aimed to strengthen the administrative capacity of the Turkish Customs Administration.

The Director Global IP of DyStar, Dr. Ulrich Weingarten, stated that this case highlights the conviction of DyStar to clamp down on every infringer: “We are a global leader in developing and providing new products, which are both cost-efficient and environmental-friendly. Therefore, some companies try to copy our products. However, this turns out to be a costly approach for them with the products being destroyed and compensation paid. This is thanks to our close surveillance of the markets and the excellent cooperation with our legal advisors at Deris and the Turkish authorities.”

Partner Okan Can from Deris Attorney At Law Partnership, which is leading the anti-counterfeiting project in Turkey, stated that the DyStar project is a very good example of the ability of the Turkish Customs and the IP Courts to provide effective protection where there is a well-designed enforcement program. 


About DyStar Group

The DyStar Group is a leading dyestuff & chemical manufacturer and solution provider, offering customers across the globe a broad portfolio of colorants, specialty chemicals, and services. With a heritage of more than a century in product development and innovation for the textile industry, DyStar also caters to multiple sectors including the paints, coatings, paper and packaging industries. Its expansion into the food & beverages and personal care sectors reinforces the company’s position as a specialty chemical manufacturer. DyStar’s global

presence offers customers reliable access to experts from offices, competence centers, agencies and production plants spanning over 50 countries.

DyStar’s key service divisions assist brands & retailers and their industry partners from their first inspiration throughout the entire supply chain to ensure that they meet stringent quality and ecological specifications, reduce costs and shorten lead times. We offer state-of-the-art color communication through Color Solutions International; textile and ecology testing through Texanlab; ecology and environmental advice, supply chain auditing and consulting for RSL compliant sustainable processes through Sustainable  Textile Solutions group.

The DyStar econfidence® program is designed to provide assurance to textile customers that the dyes and chemicals supplied by DyStar comply with legal requirements. econfidence® also provides expertise so that selected products are compliant with voluntary Restricted Substances Lists (RSLs), including those of brands and retailers. Backed up by the most extensive eco-testing program of any chemical supplier in the industry, econfidence® supports long-term partnerships along the supply chain and fosters a more sustainable textile production.

Fully dedicated to quality management, DyStar is an ISO9001 British Standard Institution (BSI) certified company. Our products for food & beverage undergo additional certifications, such as FPA, GFSI (SQF 2000), Kosher, Passover, and Halal. Each batch of certified food colors is tested and approved by a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laboratory.


 For more information, please visit www.DyStar.com.


Modificar cookies