When you decide to start selling clothes, you must make important decisions about your brand and your business. This includes deciding if you want to register a trademark for your brand or not. Trademarks offer a form of protection and brand awareness for clothing brands that can be beneficial for businesses in a multitude of ways. To better understand how trademarks work, you may be wondering what is an example of a clothing brand trademark?
What Does a Trademark Do for a Clothing Brand?
Trademarks offer key protections for brands by giving the owner exclusive rights to the name, logo, and any key identifiers for the brand. A trademark for a clothing brand can make it easier for you to spread brand awareness and expand into new territories with your apparel.
Moreover, a clothing brand trademark protects you from other people ripping off the ideas that you sell under your brand. With a registered trademark, you have more legal grounds to pursue action against competitors who are attempting to steal your clothing or your clothing’s likeness.
The leading online fashion shops for brand awareness in the United States in 2024 included:
- Target
- Macy’s
- JCPenney
- Kohl’s
- Gap
Other examples of clothing brand trademarks include brands like Nike, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, and Levi’s. In fact, Levi’s is an example of a trademarked name for Levi Strauss & Co.
Can I Sell Clothes Without a Trademark?
Registering a trademark for your clothing brand is not a requirement. You’re legally allowed to begin selling without a trademark. That said, it’s recommended to get a trademark for your brand to protect your brand identity and increase your brand’s value.
There are four main types of trademarks you can get for a clothing brand: a word mark, a logo mark, a combined mark, and a slogan mark. A word mark is a trademark on the name of your brand, and a logo mark covers your logo. A combined mark is for the name and logo, and a slogan mark is for your brand’s slogan or catchphrase.
3 Reasons to Trademark Your Clothing Brand
Trademarking your clothing brand can provide key protections against competitors and help build your customer base, too. Here are three big reasons why it’s wise to trademark your clothing brand before you begin selling.
- Build trust with customers. Having a trademark symbol next to your brand name provides a sense of legitimacy to your business, which can help you establish recognition with your current customers and trust with your future potential customers.
- Expand into new areas. In 2024, the average company was spending about 7.7 percent of its revenue on marketing. Having solid brand awareness is key to a good marketing strategy, which is why registering a trademark can be beneficial for your overall marketing plan.
- Protect brand identity. A trademark provides exclusive rights to your brand name, logo, and brand identifiers, which means other parties cannot use a similar name or logo to market their clothing.
How to Get a Trademark for Your Clothing Brand
So far, in 2025, there have been 156,489 trademark registrations with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
- Identify trademark type.
- Conduct a trademark search.
- Determine classifications.
- Complete your application.
- Respond to official actions.
- Review the USPTO Official Gazette.
- Receive trademark registration.
Benefits of Working With a Trademark Lawyer
While you’re not required to work with a trademark lawyer to get a trademark, it is highly recommended. A professional trademark lawyer can help you with your application to acquire the right trademark for your brand through a detailed search. Moreover, their skills can help you avoid any mistakes that can delay the process and reduce the chances of your application being rejected.
Choosing to work with a trademark lawyer is a form of investment in your business. It can save you time and money and offers peace of mind that your clothing brand is fully protected and fully established as yours.
FAQs
Q: Do I Need to Register My Trademark to Use it?
A: Registering a trademark determines the scope of your rights for your products and can provide certain protections. By registering your trademark, you are putting it on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database and establishing ownership over it. That said, you’re not legally required to register your trademark to be able to use it.
Q: What Are the Four Types of Trademarks?
A: Registering a trademark is one comprehensive way to protect your clothing brand name and gain exclusive rights over your products. There are four main types of trademarks you can use: word marks, logo marks, combined marks, and slogan marks. A word mark uses the actual name of your brand, a logo mark is of a stylized design, a combined mark uses a combination of the two, and a slogan mark protects your brand’s catchphrase.
Q: How Long Does a Federal Trademark Registration Last?
A: By registering your trademark with the USPTO, you establish rights for your brand throughout the country and its territories. Your trademark registration can last forever if you keep up with mandatory trademark maintenance and pay any fees for your trademark. This includes periodically filing maintenance documents with the USPTO.
Q: How Much Does It Cost to Trademark a Clothing Brand?
A: The cost of creating a trademark for your clothing brand can vary depending on the complexity of your trademark and whether you decide to work with a trademark attorney or not. The USPTO charges a base fee on the trademark application for each class of goods and services, so you can at least expect to pay that. Working with a trademark lawyer can increase your costs upfront, but could save you money in the long run by giving you a better chance at getting your application accepted.
Reach Out to a Clothing Trademark Lawyer Near You to Learn More Today
The world of clothing trademarks can be confusing and overwhelming, which is why it’s beneficial to work with a trademark lawyer to establish and maintain your trademark for your brand.
Four Reasons Legal has experience navigating every step of the application process, and we can answer any questions you may have about your trademark. Get in touch to set up an appointment with our team to talk about your brand more in-depth today.
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