Questions from the community – How much does it cost to apply for a patent for a clothing design I have created?
I am a clothing designer and would like to know how much does it cost to get a patent for my designs? Can I patent an entire line of clothing?
A: Clothing is considered useful, which makes it subject to patent law. Because it is the design rather than the function of the clothing you are trying to protect, a design patent would be the proper tool to protect your design. Design patents are quite straightforward to attain, and you should be able to find a lawyer to do it for under $1000. A design patent can cover variations on a single design or multiple designs that are “substantially similar,” but it is not possible to cover multiple different designs, even if they are related, by a single patent.
Copyright can also be used to protect graphic designs that are printed on clothing. It sounds like this is not what you are trying to protect, but in the event that you do use printed graphics, then you can register them with the copyright office. Many lawyers will register copyrights for under $500, and it is possible to do it yourself for even less.
I know a lot of people have questions on IP pricing, and pricing info can be hard info to find. I post a price list on my website where you can find the cost to apply for a patent because I feel like the price transparency is really helpful to artists and inventors.
