Breathable Shoes: Branding Success through Patenting (2024)

FAQs

Can a shoe design be patented? ›

The short answer is yes; shoe designs are patentable. There are two types of patents that you can have, design or utility. Having patents gives you the right to protect your shoe design from others using, selling, producing, or offering to sell a shoe that uses an element protected by your patent.

Typically, under US law, you cannot get a copyright for things that are useful articles, like hoodies, shoes, and/or pairs of pants. These are useful articles that are not copyrightable because they are not considered creative, unique, or original.

Research and Development

In 1999, GEOX patented an idea to apply their breathable and impermeable technology to garments such as jackets, anoraks, and sports jackets.

Nike has a total of 25762 patents globally out of which 18340 have been granted and more than 79% of these worldwide patents are active.

A typical shoe consists of three basic components: the outsole, the midsole, and the upper. Each of these components is comprised of materials that vary greatly in weight and density.

Having a patent allows you to protect your shoe design from others who use, sell, produce, or offer to sell a shoe that contains an element protected by your patent. Firstly you need to ascertain whether your shoe has a unique function or design to see if you have a chance of obtaining a patent.

Geox closed 2020 with revenues down to 534.9 million euros, following the closing months and a new sales strategy. In fact, the brand is planning the definitive closure of 110 stores in the period 2021-23.

Birkenstock Group B.V. & Co. KG is a German shoe manufacturer known for its production of Birkenstocks, a German brand of sandals and other shoes notable for their contoured cork footbeds (soles) made with layers of suede and jute, which conform to the shape of their wearers' feet.

The Air Jordans' exclusive level relative to other types of footwear has been the reason behind this phenomenon. They made these sneakers with extremely high-quality materials like full-grain calfskin and premium leather uppers like boots. Thus, people cannot marvel at the look and feel of a high-quality product.

What is the shoe that breathes? ›

ITALIAN PATENT

Geox has created Amphibiox™, a totally waterproof shoe that BREATHES™, thanks to a special membrane that extends beyond the outsole, and even to the top part of the upper, to protect your feet in any weather conditions.

Geox has manufacturing plants in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, Brazil, Macedonia and – Serbia.

A brand born into hip hop royalty, Pastry was founded by celebrity fashionistas Vanessa and Angela Simmons, the daughters of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, in 2007.

Patent leather is a type of coated leather that has a high-gloss finish. The coating process was introduced to the United States and improved by inventor Seth Boyden, of Newark, New Jersey, in 1818, with commercial manufacture beginning September 20, 1819.

Patent leather is a high-gloss, grain-free leather, which has been gloss-finished on the surface or covered with a glossy, mirror-smooth film. Patent leather is used for shoes, caps, clothing, wallets and handbags.

It is consequently important to take scrupulous care of patent leather.. Patent leather is best cleaned with a damp microfibre cloth. Care must be taken with lightly coloured patent leather, however, as the leather slightly absorbs colour pigments and can then no longer be cleaned.

The footwear industry is labor-intensive and is affected by various factors such as land resources, labor costs, material supply, environmental protection, and sales markets.

Besides the right shoe size and width, an optimal fit, skilful workmanship and the use of high-quality materials for the upper, lining and outsole are also important factors when it comes to quality and selection. We want you to stay feeling comfortable in your shoes for as long as possible.

Roomy enough. There should be sufficient room (both width and depth) at the front of the shoe for your toes. During normal walking your foot both spreads out and lengthens up to one centimeter in each direction. Therefore, you should pick a shoe that is longer than your longest toe by about the width of your thumb.

Getting a Shoe Patent is Costly

The expenses associated with getting a shoe patent include: At least $1,500 in attorney fees for a design patent or $2,500 for a utility patent. Roughly $1,000 in government fees (more if you expedite the application)

How do I patent a shoe idea? ›

Register electronically with the USPTO. Select "Design" and "Nonprovisional Application" under the "New Application" section. Enter application data, including inventor name, address and telephone number. Upload the Declaration for Utility or Design Patent, shoe idea explanation and illustrations.

In general terms, a "utility patent" protects the way an article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101), while a "design patent" protects the way an article looks (35 U.S.C. 171). Both design and utility patents may be obtained on an article if invention resides both in its utility and ornamental appearance.

Design patents have always been easy to obtain, indeed, far easier to obtain than a utility patent. Of course, as with many things in life and with virtually everything in the realm of intellectual property law, the easier something is to obtain the less valuable it is to own.

You may be wondering, “How long does it take to get a design patent?” A typical design patent will take between one and three years for approval. This may depend on whether the design is issued instantly, whether there is a dispute with the USPTO, or if modification for formal issues is required.