Designs

What is a design?

An industrial design right is an intellectual property right that protects the aesthetic “look and feel” of products, i.e. the visual design of objects. Designs do not protect the functionality of the subject. The design can protect the shape, configuration, composition of pattern or colour, or combination thereof.

Design registration is a fairly quick and cheap IP right to obtain so it is highly recommended for companies that produce products of aesthetic value (e.g. fragrance bottle, car chassis, home appliances)

How should I protect my product?

For filing designs, we recommend having minimum 3 sets of drawings / photos per product:

• black and white drawings of the product as is (e.g. CAD drawings);
• photos of the product as is;
• black and white drawings and/or photos with visual disclaimers to protect the most distinguishing parts of the design that could be reflected in a slightly amended product.

Do I need a design search?

A design search is always recommended, especially if you have global intentions for expansion of the product. It is highly valuable to be aware of potential issues before launching a new product, especially if you still have an option to tweak the design to avoid any infringement risks.

Get in touch with our design team via the contact form to schedule a free meeting to discuss.