Trademarks are often referred to as intellectual property rights, which are represented in the form of certain signs and symbols, which helps in identifying and differentiating certain products or services provided by one particular seller from those products or services provided by other sellers in the economy.
There are different terms used for trademarks that identify various kinds of services, which are known as service marks. There are many classes of trademarks and various kinds of products and services are separated or grouped into these different classes, and each of these different classes requires a different registration.
Class 16 of a trademark is one such class that deals with paper, books and stationery and any product or service providers related to these products have to apply for trademark registration only under class 16. Anything related to book stationery and paper items falls under class 16 of the trademark. Let’s get ahead with this blog to learn more about trademarks and the different items that come under class 16 of trademarks.
Did you know? Trademark has a total number of 45 classes, which states that different kinds of goods manufactured and services provided are separated into different classes under trademark. More than 80,000 products and services are classified into two different sections- Classes of goods and Classes of services.
What is Trademark Class 16?
Class 16 of Trademark refers to various kinds of paper items, cardboard and other materials. It also includes binding material of books, photographs, stationery, artistic material, and adhesives for stationery purposes meant for personal and household purposes. These include various teaching materials and plastic materials used to package stationery goods. There are many kinds of other goods also which are classified under class 16 of trademark, which are:
- Paper stationery
- Knives and duplicators
- Various plastic sacks, sheets and bags are conveniently used for the packaging and wrapping purposes of stationery goods.
Although these are the goods classified under the class16 of trademark, certain goods cannot be classified under this class of trademark, which are;
- Some specific kinds of goods made out of paper or cardboard
- Artists used various hand tools, like sculptors' chisels and spatulas.
Also Read: Free Trade Agreement (FTA) - How Does Free Trade Agreement Work & Advantages
List of Goods classified under Trademark class 16
A large number of goods classified under class 16 of the trademark are related explicitly to stationery products, products which comprise the use of paper and books. Let’s look at the products classified under class 16 of the trademark.
When it comes to paper, many things, such as absorbent sheets of paper that can be used for packaging food items, come under the purview of trademark class 16. Many albums and scrapbooks, adhesives used for stationery, and advertisement boards made of either cardboard or paper would also come under trademark class 16. If you sell these products mentioned above and services, You should register your trademark only under class 16.
Other goods classified under trademark class16 are:
- few geographical maps
- the glue used for stationery or household purposes/pastes for stationery or household purposes
- gluten [glue] for stationery and household uses
- graining combs
- graphic prints
- graphic reproductions available
- graphic representations available
- greeting cards used
- gummed tape [stationery] used
- the gummed cloth used for stationery purposes
- gums [adhesives] for stationery or household purposes
- hand labelling appliances
- hand-rests for painters
- handkerchiefs of paper
- handwriting specimens for copying
- hat boxes of cardboard
- hectographs used
- histological sections for teaching purposes
- holders for stamps [seals]
- holders for chequebooks [cheque books] applicable
- house painters’ rollers
- humidity control sheets of paper or plastic for foodstuff packaging
- index cards [stationery]
- indexes
- various kinds of Indian inks
- ink
- ink sticks used
- ink stones [ink reservoirs]
- inking pads
- inking ribbons
- inking sheets for duplicators
- inking sheets for document reproducing machines
- magazines [periodicals]
- manifolds [stationery]
- manuals [handbooks] / handbooks [manuals]
- marking chalk
- marking pens [stationery]
- mats for beer glasses
- mimeograph apparatus and machines
- modelling clay
- modelling wax, not for dental purposes
- modelling materials
- modelling paste
- moisteners [office requisites]
- moisteners for gummed surfaces [office requisites]
- money clips
- moulds for modelling clays [artists’ materials] / molds for modelling clays [artists’ materials]
- apparatus for mounting photographs
- musical greeting cards available
- various newsletters
- newspapers
- nibs
- nibs of gold
- notebooks
- numbering apparatuses
- numbers [type]
- obliterating stamps
- office perforators
- office requisites, except furniture
- oleographs
- packaging material made of starches
- packing [cushioning, stuffing] materials of paper or cardboard
- pads [stationery]
- page holders
- paint boxes [articles for use in school]
- paint trays
- ealing stamps
- sealing machines for offices
- sealing compounds for stationery purposes
- sealing wafers
- seals [stamps]
- self-adhesive tapes for stationery or household purposes
- sewing patterns
- sheets of reclaimed cellulose for wrapping
- shields [paper seals]
- signboards of paper or cardboard
- silver paper
- slate pencils
- song books
- spools for inking ribbons
- square rulers
- stamp pads
- stamp stands
- stamps [seals]
- stands for pens and pencils
- stapling presses [office requisites]
- starch paste [adhesive] for stationery or household purposes
- stationery
- steatite [tailor’s chalk]
- different types of stencils
- stickers [stationery]
- stuffing of paper or cardboard
- table linen of paper
- table napkins of paper
- tablecloths of paper
- tablemats of paper
- tags for index cards
- tailors’ chalk
- teaching materials [except apparatus]
- terrestrial globes
- tickets
- tissues of paper for removing make-up
- toilet paper / hygienic paper
- towels of paper
- tracing patterns
- tracing paper
- tracing cloth
- tracing needles for drawing purposes
- trading cards other than for games
- transfers [decalcomanias] / decalcomanias
- transparencies [stationery]
- trays for sorting and counting money
How to File For a Trademark Class 16
Although there is no specific law that states it is mandatory to register your trademark But is highly recommended that you register your trademark since it will give you a slew of various advantages, such as:
- It will act as evidence of having legal ownership of a Product under situations of infringement
- Trademark provides your product and brand with legal protection
If you are willing to enforce legal ownership of a trademark across the country if your product comes under class 16 of trademark related to stationery material, printing stationery, stationery books and many more, then you have to follow the following steps:
- Firstly you have to realise which class of trademark you require relevant to the product or service you offer.
- Then, you must analyse or search the market to see if any other brand is using your correspondent trademark.
- After successful verification of the originality of the trademark, you can apply to the appropriate trademark registrar's office in India.
- After submitting the application form, you would have to pay the requisite amount of fees for trademark registration along with the submission of any legal documents that will be required.
- The concerned authority will thoroughly review the application form and investigate or search for any malpractices or copies of the registered trademark by another seller.
- After all the necessary verification requirements have been met, and the officials are satisfied with the application, the concerned authority will issue the certificate of registration of a trademark to the product or service owner.
In this way, You can register a trademark for any class to which the relevant product or service pertains.
Also Read: Trademark Registration- What is Trademark Regisration? How does it Help Small Businesses?
Conclusion:
This was regarding class 16 of trademark and the relevant products or services that come under class 16 for registration of trademarks. There are various added advantages of registering a trademark which is why it is recommended that you should register your trademark to add legal ownership and legal protection to your product or service. Be it books and stationery or stationary board, anything under class 16 or any other class of trademark should be registered to enjoy its benefits.
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