WEARING APPAREL

Description

A41 covers garments and clothing items designed to be worn on the human body, including everyday apparel such as shirts, trousers, dresses, coats, and underwear. The class encompasses the design, construction, and functional features of wearing apparel, including closures, fastenings, and structural elements that contribute to fit and wearability. Related technologies such as protective clothing, sports apparel, and accessories integral to garment function also fall within this scope. Patent applications addressing novel materials, manufacturing techniques, or functional improvements to clothing articles are typically classified here rather than in adjacent mechanical or material-specific classes.

Filing statistics

CPC A41 recorded 114,894 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 6 subclasses. Annual filings declined from 7,759 in 2013 to 6,441 in 2023 (-17%), peaking at 17,425 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class A41 are NIKE (986 applications), NIKE INNOVATE (935 applications) and 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY (MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY) (660 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings