D06 TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
Description
Class D06 covers mechanical, chemical, and thermal treatment processes applied to textiles and related flexible materials, including laundering, washing, bleaching, dyeing, and finishing operations. This classification encompasses equipment, methods, and systems for textile processing such as cleaning machines, drying apparatus, pressing equipment, and chemical treatment installations. It also includes treatment of leather, furs, and other flexible materials that do not fall within specialized textile categories. Adjacent classes handle raw fiber preparation (D01), yarn and thread production (D02-D05), and specific textile products like clothing or nets (D04, other sections).
Filing statistics
CPC D06 recorded 241,877 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 11 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 11,889 in 2013 to 19,553 in 2023 (+64%), peaking at 30,918 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class D06 are LG ELECTRONICS (7,955 applications), QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE COMPANY (7,190 applications) and HAIER SMART HOME (5,471 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
11 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open
- D06B TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS (mechanical treatment of natural fibrous or filamentary material to obtain fibres or filaments D01B)
- D06C FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06F LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06G MECHANICAL OR PRESSURE CLEANING OF CARPETS, RUGS, SACKS, HIDES, OR OTHER SKIN OR TEXTILE ARTICLES OR FABRICS; TURNING INSIDE-OUT FLEXIBLE TUBULAR OR OTHER HOLLOW ARTICLES
- D06H MARKING, INSPECTING, SEAMING OR SEVERING TEXTILE MATERIALS (seaming by sewing D05B)
- D06J PLEATING, KILTING OR GOFFERING TEXTILE FABRICS OR WEARING APPAREL (by sewing D05B)
- D06L DRY-CLEANING, WASHING OR BLEACHING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR MADE-UP FIBROUS GOODS; BLEACHING LEATHER OR FURS
- D06M TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
- D06N WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06P DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
- D06Q DECORATING TEXTILES (textile threads, filaments, yarns or tow, glued on macromolecular material D06N7/00)
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 7,955
- QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE COMPANY 7,190
- HAIER SMART HOME 5,471
- QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE COMPANY CN 2,962
- BSH (BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE) DE 2,870
- WUXI LITTLE SWAN COMPANY 2,869
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 2,731
- MIELE DE 1,371
- WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION US 1,285
- ELECTROLUX APPLIANCES SE 1,261