FIRST ON RADAR: Carry Om accuses SM of copying bag designs

The entrepreneur couple pulled out two bags from an SM Store plastic bag, pointing to similarities between the items and Carry Om designs.

The first was a smaller bag that allegedly copied the design of Carry Om’s Garuda tote bag in its orange and gray colorway.

The second was a smaller bag that they claimed copied the brand’s Ganga hybrid backpack in maroon and tan. The supposed copy had an inverted colorway.

“We didn’t have to show customers our original because this one has been gone from our website for a while. Because as you know, Carry Om is an upcycled brand. We cannot keep producing the same colorway over and over again,” Saulo said of the Ganga design.

“But our eagle-eyed Ommies, of course, they’re going to notice if it’s a Carry Om color. They saw this and they sent us the picture right away,” he added.

The couple said Ommies, or patrons of the brand, sent them photos of the alleged copycats after spotting them at SM Mall of Asia, SM Makati, and SM Megamall earlier in September. Screenshots of those messages were featured in the video.

In an exclusive statement sent to radar Business, SM Retail said its department store is merely a marketplace and does not manufacture or produce items. The company did not mention Carry Om or its accusations.

“We are a platform for many suppliers to reach our customers. We scout the market to choose the latest products and items that are current and trendy at a price range that’s accessible and attractive to our customers,” SM Retail said in the statement.

Carry Om uses upcycled fabrics to create colorful bag designs, producing them in small batches depending on the availability of textiles. In an interview with Karen Davila for the Department of Trade and Industry’s “Asenso Pilipino,” Salazar said the designs were developed while she was undergoing cancer treatment.

The fabrics were sourced from surplus material of the popular 70s brand Khumbmela, which was pioneered by Saulo’s father, Yadu Saulo. Carry Om also employs former Khumbmela workers, who are now mostly senior citizens.

And Saulo’s accusation goes further than Carry Om. He also claimed SM had copied designs from Khumbmela decades ago.

Prices for Carry Om bags range from ₱2,750 to ₱16,950, depending on the size and material.

The couple said the alleged copying came after SM representatives repeatedly approached Carry Om about joining its retail network, which the brand rejected.

The couple shared screenshots of email threads with various SM representatives, with names and personal information blurred out. The earliest email shown was dated November 2025 and proposed pop-up store counters for Carry Om at SM North Edsa, The Podium, SM City Sta. Rosa, SM malls in Cavite, and other locations.

“All their emails are trying to ask us to be part of your ecosystem. And all we said, all we did was we refused outright to everything that you offered,” Salazar said.

An email subject screenshot posted earlier that day appeared to show that Carry Om had sent SM a formal cease and desist notice over the allegedly copied designs.

“We’re releasing this video because you guys need to be called out. You guys need to be held accountable for what you’re doing,” Saulo said.

Salazar also urged customers to send Carry Om photos of other bags they suspect of copying its designs.

“My challenge [to SM] is to put all your resources into making sure that you have originality,” she said.

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