Key Takeaways

  • Trademark Class 20 covers furniture and related goods made from wood, plastics, cane, ivory, and other materials.
  • It includes common items like beds, chairs, picture frames, and unusual items like antlers, mobiles, and pedicure toe separators.
  • Products are grouped based on the Nice Classification system, which helps avoid trademark conflicts within and across classes.
  • Class 20 excludes medical and laboratory furniture, textiles, and functional items made of traditional furniture materials.
  • USPTO updates Class 20 listings to reflect market trends, adding items like gun racks and body forms over time.
  • Applicants must clearly describe their goods and ensure they align with the class to avoid application issues.

A trademark class 20 is used for furniture and materials that are related to furnishings, and it can be anything that shows you are the source of the furniture or related material. It can also be anything that sets your furniture apart from the competition, such as an image, a phrase, a logo, or a sign.

Filing an application with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) is a way to gain legal protection from other entities from within the same class that may try to infringe on your trademark. Other entities from different classes and industries may obtain marks that are similar to yours. The likelihood of infringement drops because there's not much chance of confusion.

International Classification of Goods and Services

Established in 1957, the Nice Agreement outlined 45 product classes, and trademarks are registered by the product categories of these classes in most jurisdictions. The World Intellectual Property Organization, also called WIPO, publishes a website that lists the complete set of classifications established by the Nice Agreement. It also contains an alphabetized listing that shows around 8,000 specific types of products and services.

How Class 20 Fits into the Trademark System

The Nice Classification system organizes goods and services into 45 categories—34 for products and 11 for services. Trademark Class 20 is part of this system and includes non-metal furniture and home furnishings. The USPTO requires applicants to describe their goods in enough detail to allow proper classification. Misclassification can delay registration or lead to denial. You may file a mark under multiple classes if your product line spans categories, but each class requires a separate fee and justification.

Common Class 20 Examples

Many of the things in class 20 that benefit from intellectual property protection are common furnishing and materials to craft furniture, such as:

  • The furniture itself
  • Plastics
  • Mirrors
  • Meerschaum
  • Whalebone
  • Picture frames
  • Cork
  • Wood
  • Mother-of-pearl
  • Reed
  • Amber
  • Cane
  • Bone
  • Wicker
  • Shell
  • Ivory
  • Horn

Substitutes for any of the composition materials are also included in class 20.

Practical Applications of Class 20 Trademarks

Trademark Class 20 is relevant for businesses selling home goods, office furniture, retail displays, and interior décor. For example:

  • A manufacturer branding its ergonomic office chairs
  • A home décor brand using a logo on mirrors and picture frames
  • A baby product company trademarking cribs and changing tables
    These trademarks protect not just the item but how it's marketed—logos, slogans, or designs that signal brand identity.

Unusual Class 20 Examples

There seems to always be something unexpected in each trademark class. For trademark class 20, there are quite a few articles. The more unusual trademark class 20 items are:

  • Parts of animals, including the antlers, claws, horns, and teeth
  • Caskets
  • Decorative craft items, like plastic decoys, glitter, and mobiles
  • Toe separators made from foam, such as the kind used when giving pedicures

Things Specifically Excluded from Class 20

There are a few things that WIPO specifically excludes from Class 20. These excluded items are:

  • Furniture that's specifically designed for use in medical offices and laboratories. These items belong in classes nine and ten.
  • Outdoor metal items, non-metal items, textiles, and blinds made from textiles. These things belong in classes six, 19, and 22.
  • Linen bedding, sleeping bags, and eiderdowns. These are class 24 items.
  • Mirrors for non-decorative purposes, such as optical goods, gun-sighting mirrors, dentist's mirrors, rearview mirrors, and mirrors for surgeons. These are class nine, ten, 12, and 13 items.
  • Items made from traditional furniture materials that are classified by function. These belong in the classes 14, 19, 21 and class 27.

Importance of Accurate Classification

Accurately classifying your goods under Class 20—or any other class—is essential for USPTO acceptance. If the description doesn't match the designated class or includes excluded items, the application may be rejected or require costly amendments. For example, a medical examination table, though it resembles standard furniture, belongs in Class 10, not Class 20. Applicants should cross-reference the USPTO ID Manual to ensure correct class alignment.

Examples of Market-Driven Additions to Trademark Class 20

The USTPO classification guide is updated frequently. This happens because the trademark office has to adjust when the marketplace changes. Some things that have been included in international class 20 since 2009 include:

  • Gun racks that are both free-standing and portable
  • Life-sized human body forms that are designed to use as clothing displays
  • Picture frames that are magnetized
  • Statues crafted from bone, plaster, or ivory.

Trends Impacting Class 20 Inclusions

The expansion of ecommerce and home design innovation has led to more items being added to Class 20. These include:

  • Modular or collapsible furniture marketed for small spaces
  • Eco-friendly décor made from sustainable plastics or recycled wood
  • Display stands used for retail or exhibitions
    Staying informed about such trends can help businesses file timely applications before competitors enter the space.

A Few Other Trademark Classes

Class I is the category for chemicals that are used for industrial, scientific, and photographic purposes. It's also used to classify agricultural, horticultural, and forestry chemicals. It can include artificial resins that haven't been processed yet, manure, the compositions found in fire extinguishers, solutions for soldering, chemicals used in food preservation, lotions for tanning, and even industrial adhesives.

Class II is the category that includes paint, lacquer, varnish, colorant, and raw natural resin. Some other items in this class include coatings that prevent wood from deteriorating and metal from rusting, metal foils, and powder coat paints for artists, painters, printers, and decorators.

Class III includes items for cleaning laundry, surfaces, and personal grooming items. Things like bleach-based cleaners, polishes, abrasives for cleaning, soap, perfume, cosmetics, essential oils, dental care supplies, and hair care products are in this class.

Class IV includes oil and grease for industrial purposes, lubricants, fuel sources, illuminants, candle wicks and candles, wetting and binding solutions, and dust absorbing chemicals.

Class V includes preparations for veterinarians and pharmaceuticals as well as sanitary items for medical needs, food and substances for veterinarian or medical use, and baby food.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What types of goods fall under trademark Class 20?

Class 20 includes furniture, mirrors, picture frames, and goods made from materials like wood, bone, ivory, plastic, and substitutes.

2. Can I use the same trademark in another class?

Yes. You can use a similar or identical trademark in another class if there is no likelihood of confusion. For example, a furniture brand in Class 20 and a food brand in Class 30 may coexist.

3. What should I avoid including in a Class 20 application?

Avoid including products like hospital beds, surgical mirrors, or fabric blinds, as they belong to other classes such as 10, 9, or 22.

4. How do I describe goods for a Class 20 application?

Use precise terms that align with the USPTO ID Manual. Generic descriptions like "furniture" should be broken down into specific items like "desks" or "bookcases."

5. Do I need legal help to file in Class 20?

While not required, working with a trademark attorney can help ensure accurate classification, strengthen your application, and protect your brand.

If you need help with trademark class 20, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.