Tumbler tussle: Seattle’s MiiR sues Tesla, alleging copied cup design

MiiR, the Seattle-based maker of drinkware and other accessories, is suing Tesla, alleging the Elon Musk-led company copied its tumbler lid design and appearance.

In a lawsuit filed May 28 in U.S. District Court in Seattle, MiiR alleges Tesla’s On The Road Tumbler infringes on a design patent covering MiiR’s tumbler lid and copies the overall look of its stainless steel 360 Traveler Tumbler, including its cylindrical shape, rounded base, and vertical logo placement.

MiiR accuses Austin-based Tesla of choosing to “substantially copy” its design rather than “innovate and develop its own unique style,” according to a court filing, and says Tesla was aware of MiiR’s products because it had previously purchased or considered purchasing them. (Read the full complaint below.)

MiiR, founded in 2010, has built a portfolio of design patents and trade dress rights around its drinkware products, which have won awards from the Industrial Designers Society of America and other organizations. The company also donates a percentage of revenues from every product it sells to environmental and community causes.

The company previously ran a flagship retail location and coffee shop in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood next to the Brooks Running headquarters. It now operates a production and warehouse facility north of Seattle in Marysville, Wash.

While widely known for its line of electric vehicles, Tesla also sells a range of lifestyle merchandise — including apparel, accessories, and drinkware — through its online shop and retail locations.

MiiR’s 16-ounce 360 Traveler Tumbler sells for $34 on its website and comes in eight colors. Tesla’s 14-ounce version is listed for $32 on its site and comes in three colors.

At the heart of the case is MiiR’s tumbler lid, which was issued a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in February 2024. The company describes it as a “solid, saucer-shaped circular lid” whose circumference sits perpendicular to the sides of the cylindrical container. MiiR argues its drinkware is “radically different” from what came before, with a “clean linear style” that made its products immediately associated with the brand.

MiiR says Tesla’s tumbler lid copies that patented design, arguing that an ordinary observer would be deceived into thinking the two lids are the same or substantially similar based on their shape, silhouette, and configuration.

MiiR also takes issue with how Tesla positioned its logo on the tumbler. MiiR says it has used a distinctive vertical placement of its etched brand name on its drinkware since at least 2011, and argues Tesla copied that same orientation on the On The Road Tumbler.

MiiR, which is represented by Seattle law firm K&L Gates, is seeking a permanent injunction to stop Tesla from selling the tumbler, along with damages, an accounting of Tesla’s profits from the product, and attorney fees. The company is also asking the court to find that Tesla’s infringement was willful, which could result in enhanced damages.

The suit also includes a claim under the Washington Consumer Protection Act, alleging Tesla’s conduct misled consumers into believing its tumbler was affiliated with or approved by MiiR.

GeekWire reached out to MiiR and Tesla for comment and we’ll update this story when we hear back.

Read MiiR’s full complaint against Tesla:

MiiR Holdings LLC vs. Tesla Inc. by Kurt Schlosser