Understanding trademark classification - Class 20 of the trademark manual
Trademark Class 20 is one of 45 NICE classification used to classify products and/or services.
Class 20 for trademarks a brief description:
Class 20 of the Nice classification of goods and services for classifying trademarks mainly includes furniture and its parts and plastic goods not included in other classes. Trademark Class 20 covers primarily furniture and parts thereof, as well as certain goods made of wood, cork, reed, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum, and substitutes for all these materials, or of plastic.
Class 20 for trademarks header:
Furniture, mirrors, picture frames; containers, not of metal, for storage or transport; unworked or semi-worked bone, horn, whalebone, or mother-of-pearl; shells; meerschaum; yellow amber.
Class 20 trademark application Owners:
1.IKEA
2.ZARA HOME
3.Sleep Comfort
4.Target
5.DAZE
6.Amazon
7.Ashley
8.Karaca
9.Madame Coco
10.THE LAND OF NOD
Goods Protected by Class 20 for trademarks:
The following items are also included in the Class 20 for trademarks:
Non-metallic hardware
Statues, figurines, works of art, and ornaments and decorations, made of materials such as wood, wax, plaster, or plastic, are included in the class
Furniture and furnishings
Animal housing and beds
Unprocessed and semi-processed materials included in the class, not specified for use
Containers, closures, and holders, therefore, non-metallic
Ladders and movable steps, non-metallic
Displays, stands, and signage, non-metallic
Class 20 of trademarks does not include, in particular:
Laboratory furniture (TM Class 9) or medical furniture (TM Class 10);
Metal outdoor blinds (TM Class 6), not metal and not textile (TM Class 19), textile (TM Class 22);
Bed linen, eiderdowns, and sleeping bags (TM Class 24);
Mirrors for specific purposes, such as those used in optical goods (TM Class 9), mirrors used in surgery or dentistry (TM Class 10), rearview mirrors (TM Class 12), and gun sighting mirrors (TM Class 13);
Certain goods made of wood, cork, reed, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum, and substitutes for all of these materials or plastic, for example, beads for making jewelry (TM Class 14), wooden floorboards (TM Class 19), baskets for domestic use (TM Class 21), plastic cups (TM Class 21), reed mats (TM Class 27)
Unusual examples of trademarks in Class 20
There seems to always be something unexpected in each trademark class. For trademark Class 20, there are quite a few articles. The more unusual trademark class 20 items are:
Parts of animals, including antlers, claws, horns, and teeth
Caskets
Decorative craft items, like plastic decoys, glitter, and mobile
Toe separators made from foam, such as the kind used when giving pedicures
Other trademark classes coordinated and related to class 20
If the applicant is not sure whether to register in Class 20, the following ‘coordinated’ classes should be assessed and considered:
TM Class 6 — Common Metals
TM Class 21 — Household Utensils
TM Class 28 — Games and Sporting Goods
TM Class 35 — Advertising and Business Services
TM Class 42 — Science and Technology Services
Trademark Class 20 and the Metaverse:
The Metaverse is a combination of virtual and augmented reality. Companies have begun to stake out virtual real estate on platforms such as Decentraland and The Sandbox. The phrase "metaverse" refers to a combination of virtual, augmented, and real-world reality. If you intend to use your trademark in the Metaverse, you should think about the potential ramifications. There is a significant difference between a virtual bag and a real bag, and it is critical to stay current on the latest advances in virtual reality. Andrés Reisinger sold ten virtual furniture pieces in an NFT online auction. The most expensive non-existent item was sold for nearly $70,000. Items can be placed in any 3D virtual shared area, such as Decentraland or Somnium Space.
Changes in the nice classification relating to trademark goods on Class 20
Class 20 witnessed some modifications, changes, and additions:
Removable covers for sinks
Removable mats or covers for sinks
Bamboo, unworked or semi-worked
Lockers [furniture]
Plate racks [furniture]
Reusable baby changing mats
Containers, not of metal, for compressed gas or liquid air
Bottles [containers], not of metal, for compressed gas or liquid air
Bathroom stools
Kitchen dressers [furniture]
Mats, removable, for sinks
Hanging closet organizers
Drawer organizers
Covers specially made for handling and transport of bottles, not of metal, for compressed gas
Cushions for lining pet crates
Sneeze guards
Waste dumpsters, not of metal, other than for medical use
Recycling bins, not of metal
Sew-on tags of plastic or rubber for clothing
Understanding the main elements of Trademarks Class 20:
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and national offices of the European Union, with the collaboration of WIPO, have developed the hierarchy. Although based on the Nice Classification, it does not form part of the Classification. The hierarchy does not have any legal effect on trademark examination or the comparison of goods and services. This is without prejudice to the possibility of using the hierarchy as an administrative tool in the specification of goods and services on a voluntary basis.
Class 20 in Nice classification is divided into the subsections below:
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 1 -
Non-Metallic Hardware.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 2 -
Statues, figurines, works of art, and ornaments and decorations, made of materials such as wood, wax, plaster, or plastic, included in the class.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 3 -
Furniture and furnishings.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 4 -
Animal housing and beds.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 5 -
Unprocessed and semi-processed materials included in the class, are not specified for use.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 6 -
Ladders and movable steps, non-metallic.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 7 -
Containers, closures, and holders, therefore, non-metallic.
Trademark Class 20 - Subsection - 8 -
Displays, stands, and signage, non-metallic.