'Slap in the face': B.C. business owner says Khlo Kardashian's company should stop using her brand

A North Vancouver, B.C., businesswoman is both dismayed and a little happy herbusiness slogan isnow being used by Khlo Kardashian's companyto sell Mother's Day T-shirts.

Tamara Komunieckisays she has used "Strong as a Mother" in her T-shirt and fundraising enterprise for more than two years, but last week the slogan showed up on garments being sold by the clothing company Good American, which isco-owned by the reality TV star.

"If they'd done their due diligence they would have seen the history here, that there's something[I've] tried to build up," said Komuniecki.

"Tojust take it and slap it on a shirt that you're going to sell to the Kardashian army, it's kind of a slap in the face for all the work that I've done and the sacrifice that I've put into it."

Komuniecki admits she has no legal standing to make a complaint. She has filed anapplication to trademark the slogan in Canada but not south of the border.

She says a different company not related Good American is in the process of trademarking the similar"Strong like a mother" slogan in the U.S.

"I can't say that it was a meaningful stealing of my work. But what I can't say is that they just should know better," she said.

Some people have rallied to Komuniecki's defence, commenting on the perceived intellectual property theft in the comments section of the Instagram post where the Good American T-shirt appeared for sale last week.

Komnuniecki's strongasamother.club website sells T-shirts, sweatshirts, baby onesies,coffee mugs and stationery emblazoned with the slogan. She says a portion of the profits go to charity.

She says her slogan frequently shows up onknock-off shirts being sold on smaller websites.

"When I asked those people to stop making them, most of the time they comply," she said.

But she says despite the alleged copying, the attention the Khlo Kardashian connection has brought her company is ultimately positive.

"I do think that it sheds a spotlight on this small, fun brand that supports momsand will hopefully impact positively the reach that I've got," she said.

"The timing iswonderful because Mother's Day is on Sunday."