For the first time this month, a trade mark with a persons name on it was selected as the Estonian Patent Office’s trade mark of the month.
This month’s trade mark serves as a useful example for business owners who provide goods or services under their own name. In Estonia, names could be trademarked far more frequently than they are currently.
Presenting March’s trade mark of the month:
The trade mark has received protection for bags and clothing. The creator and owner of the trade mark is fashion designer and artisan Katre Arula, whose workshop located in the courtyard of Põltsamaa Castle produces environmentally friendly and heritage-inspired products. The workshop’s main bestseller is bags made from furniture scraps.
According to Katre Arula, she registered her trade mark to prevent anyone from taking it away from her. „Registering a trade mark is like a manifestation to the public that I exist - it gives me confidence,“ says Arula. She adds that as an introvert, operating under her own name hasn’t always been easy for her. That’s why she added the trade mark Katré, which she plans to gradually transition to using exclusively. „However, it can be said that protecting my name as a trade mark was the right move, as long as customers associate the Katre Arula name with my products,“ she explains the decision to register her name as a trade mark.
Visit the Estonian Patent Office blog (only in Estonian) to learn more about the trade mark.