Industrial Designs
TRADE MARK
Why register a design?
Only registration gives you legal tools to stop copies.
Protection applies even if someone changes the product name or brand.
Platforms like Etsy or Amazon require proof of registered protection to remove copies.
You can register a design even before starting sales.
Example:
Anna designs unique butterfly-shaped necklaces. Without registration, another seller on Etsy could copy her exact design. Worse, if they register it first, they could force Anna to remove her own products.
Industrial Designs –
Protect the Look of Your Product
Registering an industrial design in the UK gives you exclusive rights to the external appearance of your product – its shape, lines, colours, textures, patterns, or decorations. This protection allows you to stop others from copying your product’s unique look.
Who should register a design?
Manufacturers of clothing, jewellery, packaging, promotional items
Handmade brands, artists, and craft makers (Etsy, Amazon, NotOnTheHighStreet)
Companies wanting to protect product aesthetics from copying in the UK and Europe
Anyone creating something visually recognisable, regardless of the industry
What can be registered as a design?
✔️ The look of a product (e.g., mug, bottle, candle)
✔️ Unique packaging, layouts, or graphic patterns
✔️ Arrangement of elements, decorations, shape, contour, colour schemes
✔️ Designs of retail or bulk packaging
✔️ User interface (UI) layouts
What cannot be registered?
🚫 Functional product mechanisms (e.g., plug, hinge)
🚫 Shapes dictated purely by technical function
🚫 Designs that are offensive or contrary to public morality
How long is it protected?
Initial term: 5 years from registration in UKIPO
Renewable every 5 years, up to 25 years total
During protection, no one can copy your design without permission
Trademark vs. Design – Which to choose?
Trademark: protects the identity of the brand – name, logo, slogan (can last forever if renewed).
Design: protects the appearance of the product – shape, decoration, colour scheme (max. 25 years).
Best strategy: register both to fully protect your brand and product aesthetics.
Example:
Apple® has trademarks for the word “iPhone” and the Apple logo, plus design registrations for the phone’s casing.
McDonald’s® has trademarks for its name and logo, and design registrations for its packaging shapes.
Registration process
Step 1 – Design search
We check whether a similar design is already registered (to avoid losing your fee – UKIPO does not refund rejected applications).
Step 2 – Filing the application
We prepare the required documentation:
Description of the design
Images, drawings, or graphics (depending on the design type)
Step 3 – UKIPO decision
Registration time: 2–3 months
If there are no objections, the design is registered and published
You receive a certificate of registration with your design number – usable to prove protection to marketplaces or other businesses