WATCH: Majat Vannie Kaap!
IMITATION: Ubuntu printing vs Vannie Kaap brand printed shirts IMITATION: Ubuntu printing vs Vannie Kaap brand printed shirts
Vannie Kaap is dik bef*k after finding out their products are being cloned and sold cheaply.
The owners of the popular memes brand caught out a printing shop in Mitchells Plain this week after launching their own investigation.
On Wednesday, they pretended to be customers and bought a T-shirt with their own branding from Ubuntu Printing at Watergate Mall.
VK’s Kaylee Groenewald, 27, says they were alerted to the pirate operation by fans on social media.
UPSET: VK’s Kaylee Groeneweld is angry
The knock-off T-shirts and mugs had popular VK memes on and were being sold for R100 a pop.
VK was launched in 2015 on social media, but now has a factory shop in Salt River.
Kaylee is in charge of printing and production at the shop, where she says their products are trademarked.
“I am really upset that these people could do such a thing,” she says.
“I wake up every day to work hard at crafting a T-shirt, cap, mug and more to perfection and they just get to Google our designs, print it and slap it onto an item, even with the clearly visible VK trademark.”
Kaylee says their products are of a high quality and a lot of work goes into each item.
“First you need to get the perfect fabric for the T-shirt, and then make the design, cut out the vinyl for print, attach a neck tag and then a back tag.”
She also shows the Daily Voice an original VK mug and T-shirt, alongside a majat one.
Daily Voice's Venecia Valentine in the printing store.
She says they sent someone to Ubuntu to buy a T-shirt and mug, and the shop told her to come back a few hours later.
The item had the phrase “Bietjie Gham Bietjie Sturvy” on it as well as the VK trademark.
Kaylee says the fake items had different fonts and the printing was faded.
Yesterday, when Kaylee went to Ubuntu, she spoke to the receptionist who admitted they often printed VK logos and slogans on items and sell them for R100.
A few minutes later, the owner of Ubuntu Printing, Nigel Fabe, and his wife enter, and initially try to brush off the allegations, claiming the items weren’t printed at his store.
COPYCAT: Ubuntu printing boss Nigel Fabe allegedly makes knock-off Vannie Kaap branded products in his store in Watergate Mall
But after being told his receptionist already admitted to alles, Fabe conceded: “OK yes, we printed these items here, but we only do the stuff people ask us to print.
“We didn’t even know what VK is, we didn’t know someone owns it and so we will stop immediately and never do it again.”
But Kaylee rejected the apology and says VK is seeking legal advice against Fabe.