iMiracle and VPR Reach Preliminary Settlement in ‘Elf’ Trademark Dispute, Potentially Ending Three-Year Legal Battle

Dec.11.2025

According to Law360, VPR Brands and iMiracle have filed a joint notice in federal court in Florida stating that they have signed a settlement term sheet and plan to finalize a global settlement within 30 days that would resolve multiple lawsuits. The dispute, which began in 2022 and centers on the “Elf” trademark, has involved injunctions, counterclaims and a key ruling by the Federal Circuit overturning a lower court’s order.

Key Takeaways

VPR and the Chinese companies operating “Elf Bar” have filed a joint notice in federal court in Florida, stating that they have signed a settlement term sheet and intend to finalize a global settlement within 30 days.
The dispute centers on the use of the “Elf” trademark on vaping products, with litigation since 2022 involving iMiracle, Weiboli, and numerous manufacturers and retailers.
Elf Bar, once highly popular among young consumers, has faced tightening U.S. market conditions amid state-level flavored vape bans and stricter enforcement.
The case has seen major developments, including a district court injunction against Elf Bar and the Federal Circuit’s later reversal; multiple overlapping lawsuits are now expected to conclude through the proposed settlement.

2Firsts, December 11, 2025 — According to Law360, VPR Brands LP and the Chinese companies operating the “Elf Bar” brand have filed a joint notice in federal court in Florida stating that they have signed a settlement term sheet and aim to finalize a global settlement within 30 days. The agreement is expected to resolve a series of overlapping intellectual property disputes, bringing an end to the three-year legal battle over the “Elf Bar” name.

Reports indicate that the dispute over control of the “Elf Bar” name has continued for three years, and the specific terms of the settlement have not yet been disclosed.

The core of the conflict concerns the right to use the word “Elf” on vaping products. According to publicly available court documents, VPR initiated litigation in Florida in October 2022, naming Shenzhen Weiboli Technology Co. Ltd. and iMiracle (HK) Limited as defendants, alleging that their sales of “Elf Bar” disposable vapes infringed VPR’s long-held “Elf” trademark.

Data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously showed that Elf Bar was among the most popular disposable vape brands among young consumers.

As the litigation progressed, the U.S. flavored disposable vape market underwent significant shifts. Several states enacted bans on flavored vaping products and increased enforcement efforts, pushing these products out of the market.

Elf Bar also exited California after reaching a settlement in a lawsuit brought by NJOY LLC, a subsidiary of tobacco giant Altria Group, agreeing to stop selling all flavored vaping products in the state. (Related reading: Elf Bar Parent iMiracle to Pull Flavored Vapes From California, Ending Altria Unit NJOY Lawsuit)

Beyond its lawsuits against Weiboli and iMiracle, VPR also sued various manufacturers and retailers for allegedly selling infringing products. Meanwhile, several companies aligned with the iMiracle/Elf Bar camp filed counterclaims, asserting that they held an earlier registered “Elf” trademark and had licensed it to Weiboli and iMiracle, challenging VPR’s claims.

During the legal proceedings, Chinese companies also accused VPR of copying Elf Bar’s distinctive style and appearance, arguing that VPR’s products mimicked Elf Bar’s unique trade dress.

The case initially saw progress in VPR’s favor.

In 2023, Judge Aileen M. Cannon issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Chinese companies from selling any products bearing the “Elf Bar” name in the United States. However, a year later, the Federal Circuit overturned the injunction, finding that Judge Cannon had “misread” precedent and relied on “deficient” legal analysis, rendering the injunction improper.

Currently, the overlapping district court and appellate proceedings are expected to be resolved through the proposed global settlement. Although details of the agreement remain undisclosed, the joint notice indicates that both sides are moving toward ending the multi-front intellectual property dispute surrounding the “Elf/Elf Bar” brand.

In August 2025, 2Firsts reported that two Florida-based vaping companies—Elf Group and Super Scientific—filed a lawsuit against former executive Tzvie Jakob, accusing him of fabricating transactions, misappropriating funds, and diverting more than USD 20 million for personal use. The complaint stated that the companies were set up to leverage Jakob’s claimed “exclusive relationship” with Elf Bar to expand their business. Investors contributed more than USD 28 million, while Jakob—despite contributing no capital—allegedly controlled the companies.

Related Reading:

“From ‘Exclusive Elf Bar Relationship’ to a USD 20 Million Cash Hole — A Clouded U.S. Vape Startup Case”

Cover image source: Law360

References:

[1] VPR Settles Trademark Dispute With Chinese Vape Makers

Also Read:

[1] EUIPO Rejects Imiracle’s Opposition to ‘Crystal’ Trademark, Citing Lack of Proof of Actual Use in Slovakia

[2] Heaven Gifts’s HNB Brand REJO Launches New Device with Design Strikingly Similar to ELFBAR JOINOne Series

[3] Heaven Gifts to Cease Sale of Flavored E-Cigarettes in California as Part of Settlement with NJOY: Court to Issue Permanent Injunction.

[4] CNIPA Targets E-Cigarettes as Key Focus in Crackdown on Trademark Violations

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