Products

If you make products you probably put some thought into how those products look, both practically and aesthetically.

Perhaps the look of your product is even your unique selling point – the reason that your product will stand out from the crowd. Protecting that look so no other product on the market can look the same may help your product continue to stand out for years to come.

Here we talk you through how to protect the look of a product with a registered design, what design protection can be used to protect and what to do if you’re looking to take your product global.

How do I protect my registered design globally?

You’ve created a great-looking new product and you hope it’ll be popular around the world. As with other intellectual property (IP) rights, design protection is territorial. Deciding where to apply for design protection is a balance between cost and coverage. It can become very expensive to seek protection worldwide, so we’ve put together our suggestions to […]

How do I get a registered design?

So you’ve decided you want to file a registered design to protect the look of your product. Designs are registered by filing an application. Compared to patents, the process of obtaining a registered design is relatively quick and inexpensive. Of course, the main part of the application is showcasing the design itself, i.e. providing drawings […]

How do I protect the way my product looks?

“Design patents can be the first line of defence in preventing “knock­offs” by infringers that wish to capitalise on a successful and popular product.” Philip Soo, Patent Counsel, 3M There is no doubt, when it comes to protecting a new product, patents are the most powerful asset because they protect aspects of the way in which the […]

What protection do I already have for the way my product looks?

If you’ve developed a product, or you’re even selling a product on the market at present, you may have unregistered design rights that protect the shape and appearance of the product. What’s protected? Unregistered designs protect the way a product looks.  This can be its shape, or appearance including surface decoration.  When we refer to […]

How do I protect my product?

So you’ve developed and built a great new product and you’re nearly ready to take it to market. Let’s explore what protection there might be for your product, whether a physical product or a software product, and what you can do to put your product in the best position to be a success. Protect the way […]