Designs

  A recent decision of the UK High Court illustrates reasons why it is often preferable to register your designs rather than relying on unregistered design protection alone. Rothy’s Inc, and subsequently Giesswein Walkwaren AG, both marketed “ballet flat”-type shoes made from knitted recycled plastic, a material not previously used...

  Registered designs provide an invaluable mechanism for companies to protect the appearance of their products in countries around the world. A few notable incoming changes to design law in China, Japan and Australia are set to make it easier for companies to obtain and sustain this type of intellectual...

  Companies spend a significant amount of time, effort and investment considering how their products look to the consumer. Rightly there is then a desire to provide protection from copycats and others seeking a shortcut to allow them to benefit by marketing a similar product without the effort. Fortunately, the...

At the time of writing, the number of registered designs filed and published at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in 2020 relating to equipment for doctors, hospitals and laboratories was over 50% higher than in the same time frame in 2019. While this may seem at first glance...

The latest Hague Yearly Review [1] of industrial designs filed under the Hague system shows that the number of international applications filed in 2019 increased by 8% compared to 2018. However, the total number of applications filed last year still remains fairly low, at 5,886 – in contrast the UK...