Dr Martens `not British'

DR MARTENS shoes are not the symbol of Britishness they seem, an American company is claiming.

Makers of the Union Jack-bearing shoes are being sued by an American company which alleges that thousands of Dr Martens shoe uppers are made in Thailand and not in England

Skechers USA has filed a lawsuit against the R Griggs Group for claiming that its shoes are "Made in Britain".

It is alleging false advertising and unfair competition claiming 70,000 pairs of the company's shoe uppers are made in Thailand weekly.

A spokesman for Dr Martens' US distributors said the materials for the uppers were shipped to Thailand and stitched there before being sent back to Britain, and could therefore be accurately described as being made in Britain.

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in Los Angeles on Monday, also alleges that some of the Union Jack flags on the shoes are sewn on in the Asian country.