Intellectual Property Law

What is International Class 18 All About?

Each class has a short title heading that gives a snapshot of what that class is all about -- IC 18's short title is leather goods. But, as with anything trademark, there's more to it than that. The USPTO has 447 accepted descriptions that fit into IC 18; check them out here.

The short title, leather goods, is a bit misleading as there are a number of items that aren't made of leather that reside in this class. Bags, purses, backpacks, wallets, luggage, etc. are all classified in IC 18 regardless if made of leather or not. There are a few exceptions such as paper bags (IC 16), cloth bags for laundry or storage (IC 22), bags for carrying sports equipment such as bowling bags, golf bags (IC 28).

What Else is in International Class 18?

Seems like with any of these trademark classes, there always seems to be the oddball item or two and IC 18 is no exception. Here are a few items living in IC 18 that seem a bit off:

? artificial fur
? wading staff
? bitter tasting pet training aid in the form of a spray to prevent pets from licking, chewing and biting on objects
? alpenstock

What's New for International Class 18?

The classification guide is constantly being updated with new goods or services. As the marketplace changes, the trademark office must adapt. Here are some of the 2009 listings for international class 18, good plus date added to the guide:

? All-purpose reusable carrying bags 26 Mar 09
? Carriers for suits, shirts and dresses 02 Jul 09
? Dry bags 02 Apr 09
? Pet products, namely, pet restraining devices consisting of leashes, collars, harnesses, restraining straps, and leashes with locking devices 4 Jun 09

Full post as published by TradeMark Express: A Daily Blog on July 27, 2009 (boomark / email).