Burberry bag [Photo/Agencies]

Burberry may lose exclusive rights to its iconic tartan print design in China.

The British fashion label has challenged a decision by Chinese authorities after they cancelled its trademark protection on the design, claiming Burberry hasn't used the check print in the country enough over the last three years.

Should Burberry lose its exclusivity over the design in China, the famous tartan print - which is synonymous with the brand - will be free for all to use, potentially leading to counterfeit products.

The decision, made by the Chinese trademark office, won't come into effect until authorities have heard Burberry's appeal, according to The Guardian newspaper.

The company said in a statement: "The Burberry check remains a registered trademark exclusively owned by Burberry and no other parties can use the mark without Burberry's proper authorisation. Burberry always takes the strongest possible action against those who use its trademarks unlawfully ... We are confident that our appeal will be successful."

China is one of Burberry's top selling markets as Asia accounts for a third of its multimillion-dollar revenue.

However, sales of luxury products are thought to have halted recently due to an economic decline and a campaign against high end brands.

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