How to Register my Clothing Label

Registering your clothing label / brand is easy and incredibly affordable – a South African trademark application can be filed online for only US$199. The more difficult issue is deciding what to protect.

Clothing has so many branding elements over and above the name and logo:

• True Religion protects its pocket stitching pattern;
• D&G registers the shape of all its clothes as designs;
• Ben Sherman protects the patterns applied to its t-shirts;
• Benetton registers its weave;
• Levi’s patents is pocket rivets;
• Superdry trademark registers its hoodie cord tab;
• G-star registers its labels;
• Lululemon protects its seam lines;
• Calvin Klein registers its underwear band;
• Nike registers its pay-off line;
• Dr Marten’s protects is shoes’ sole pattern;
• Puma registers its shoe box; and
• Boardriders registers the look of its shop.

And, that’s only a start.