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It was seen as a David and Goliath battle - a fi ght between corporate giant Deckers Outdoor Corporation and little Aussie battlers, the McDougall family from Western Australia.
Now, after thousands of dollars in legal fees, stresses and strains, justice has fi nally prevailed against enormous odds.
For more than 70 years the ugg Classic Tall has been an Australian icon.
From sheep shearer and surfi e to daggy housewife, the footwear is part of our culture and continues to be worn as a fashion accessory (hello Pamela Anderson).
Yet back in 2003, Australians woke to fi nd the "Ugg" trademark was owned by an aggressive American company.
Deckers Outdoor Corporation was threatening Ugg boots manufacturers in Australia, and their distributers around the world, with legal action if they used the word "Ugg", to describe, sell and market their boots.
However, one small family of bootmakers in WA refused to take the threat lying down, as shown in documentary The Good, the Bag and The ugg metallic tall
Bruce and Bronwyn McDougall and their daughter, Fiona, run the family company, Rugs 'N' Uggs, from rural Western Australia.
Bronwyn recalls: "Initially Deckers approached us and said we couldn't use the word Ugg overseas, and we originally decided that we wouldn't do anything about that."
But when Deckers then sent a letter to the family saying they couldn't call them ugg sundance ii in Australia - or even use their trading name anymore - the McDougalls saw red.
"We knew we had a good case against Deckers because our main argument was the term Ugg is a generic one that can't be trademarked," she says.
While the McDougalls eventually did win their case in court, they faced losing their business and house in the battle.
"The lawyers originally estimated it would cost us $13,000 to fi ght the case," Bronwyn says. "It was a huge underestimation."
Even after winning the case, the family is out $40,000 in lawyer's fees. The McDougalls can't stand to imagine the cost if they had lost.
According to the family it was a fi ght they believed in.
And, if faced with the same challenge again, they would stand up and fi ght for their rights.
"I would certainly think twice about doing it again, but you have to stand up for yourself," Bronwyn says.
"Justice isn't always served, but luckily in this case, for us, it was."
* The Good, The Bad and The Ugg Boot is on ABC-TV on Thursday at 8.30pm.
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