Connecting The Threads: Tips For Obtaining Strong Patent Protection In Textiles

The textile industry has grown significantly over the last few years. With growth comes the need to develop new products, create more efficient manufacturing processes,and craft new technologies. Just a few examples of these recent advancements in the textile industry include new fiber development using corn, developing fabrics for the military with fiber optics, and creating fashion wearables incorporating computer or electronic technology. Given the increasing number of textile innovations, having a firm understanding of how to both obtain and enforce intellectual property is critical to a companies' success. In this article, Finnegan attorneys Mareesa A. Frederick and Mark D. Sweet discuss several factors that textile companies should be mindful of: (1) the importance of protecting their intellectual property rights, (2) strategies to maximize their intellectual property rights and (3) techniques for monitoring the intellectual property rights of others.