Rifle Paper Co. Sues Walmart

In the ultimate legal example of David vs. Goliath, independent creative company Rifle Paper Co. has filed a lawsuit against Walmart. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the suit, which was filed in Orlando, Florida, accuses Walmart and its Canadian importer, Beco Industries, of selling home decor printed with founder Anna Rifle Bond's beloved Spanish Rose pattern—without Bond's permission.

Based in Winter Park, Florida, the paper company, which was founded by Bond and her husband, Nathan, in 2008, has quickly grown from a small stationery outfit to a design brand boasting collaborations with the likes of Paperless Post, Anthropologie, and Keds. Bond's cheerful floral motifs and depictions of objects, people, and places have earned the company a devoted following—and a reported $20 million in revenue last year.

Wallpaper by Rifle Paper Co.

Photo: Courtesy of Rifle Paper Co.

According to the Sentinel, Bond sent a cease-and-desist letter to Walmart in 2016 after noticing the company's use of her patterns with minor changes, and, after no response, has taken the matter to court. "Beco simply swapped the colors of the larger rose and smaller rose and removed the detail work in the leaves and baby's breath stems," reads the lawsuit.

"We take this seriously, and we're reviewing a copy of the complaint," Walmart spokesperson Randy Hargrove said. AD PRO will update this story as more information becomes available.

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