TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS , OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:: TEXTILES; PAPER
Class:: TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
Subclass:: TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS , OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS

Description

D06M covers residual textile and fibrous material treatments not classified elsewhere in Class D06, including chemical finishing processes, functional coatings, and property modifications applied to fibers, yarns, fabrics, and feather products. This subclass captures specialized treatments such as flame retardancy, water repellency, antimicrobial finishes, and other performance enhancements that do not fit within more specific D06 subclasses (D06B through D06L) for dyeing, bleaching, or mechanical processing. It serves as a catch-all for novel or combined treatment methods and emerging finishing technologies applied to textile materials at various production stages. Adjacent subclasses address specific finishing techniques (e.g., D06N for coating or impregnating), so D06M focuses on treatment methods and chemical processes not otherwise accommodated in the classification scheme.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass D06M recorded 66,904 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 5,128 in 2013 to 5,289 in 2023 (+3%), peaking at 7,232 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class D06 are QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE COMPANY (10,520 applications), HAIER SMART HOME (8,532 applications) and LG ELECTRONICS (7,853 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

In class comparison

D06M ranks 3rd of 11 subclasses with filings in D06, with 66,904 applications between 2013 and 2023, 16.1% of the class. Annual filings grew 3% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+98%).

Top 10 of 11 subclasses of class D06 by patent applications, 2013–2023
Rank	Subclass	Title	Applications	Share
1	D06F, Laundering, Drying, Ironing, Pressing or Folding Textile Articles	Laundering, Drying, Ironing, Pressing or Folding Textile Articles	135,930	32.7%
2	D06B, Treating Textile Materials Using Liquids, Gases or Vapours	Treating Textile Materials Using Liquids, Gases or Vapours	67,125	16.2%
3	D06M	Treatment, Not Provided for Elsewhere in Class , of Fibres, Threads, Yarns, Fabrics, Feathers or Fibrous Goods Made From Such Materials	66,904	16.1%
4	D06C, Finishing, Dressing, Tentering or Stretching Textile Fabrics	Finishing, Dressing, Tentering or Stretching Textile Fabrics	40,235	9.7%
5	D06H, Marking, Inspecting, Seaming or Severing Textile Materials	Marking, Inspecting, Seaming or Severing Textile Materials	34,771	8.4%
6	D06P, Dyeing or Printing Textiles; Dyeing Leather, Furs or Solid Macromolecular Substances in Any Form	Dyeing or Printing Textiles; Dyeing Leather, Furs or Solid Macromolecular Substances in Any Form	25,428	6.1%
7	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	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	20,490	4.9%
8	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	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	15,805	3.8%
9	D06L, Dry-Cleaning, Washing or Bleaching Fibres, Filaments, Threads, Yarns, Fabrics, Feathers or Made-Up Fibrous Goods; Bleaching Leather or Furs	Dry-Cleaning, Washing or Bleaching Fibres, Filaments, Threads, Yarns, Fabrics, Feathers or Made-Up Fibrous Goods; Bleaching Leather or Furs	5,729	1.4%
10	D06Q, Decorating Textiles	Decorating Textiles	2,596	0.6%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Additional Content

treatment treatments in group , it means the treatment which leads to the end product, e.g. treatment with barium sulfate can mean treatment with barium chloride and with sulfuric acid in two separate steps. In group , it means the treatment which leads to the end product, e. g. treatment with chloroacetic acid can mean treatment with chloroacetylchloride and saponification in two separate steps. In group , it means the treatment which leads to the end product, e.g.: treatment with polyvinylalcohol can mean treatment with polyvinylacetate and subsequent saponification in a separate step; treatment with aminoplast can mean the delayed cure process or the treatment with precondensation products, or with e.g. urea and with formaldehyde in two separate steps. fibre fibres relatively short, elongated member of natural or artificial material thread threads assembly of yarns or filaments usually produced by twisting yarn yarns unitary assembly of fibres or filaments, usually produced by spinning fabric fabrics planar textile structure produced by interlacing yarns, threads, fibres or filaments by a weaving, knitting or non-woven process

Related Keywords

COATING fibres or fabrics with metalcoating FABRICS with metaltreatment of FABRICS by chemical, biochemical or physical meanscoating FIBRES with metaltreatment of FIBRES, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods by chemical, biochemical or physical meansFINISHING of fibres, threads, yarns or fabrics by chemical, biochemical or physical meansFIREPROOFING of fibres or fabricsGLAZING of fibres or fabricschemical features of LAUNDERINGSOFTENING fibres or fabricsSWELLING of fibres or fabricstreatment of THREADSWATER -proofing of fabricstreatment of YARNS

10 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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D06M 10/00 Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. by ultrasonic waves, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
D06M 101/00 Chemical constitution of the fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, to be treated
D06M 11/00 Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising
D06M 13/00 Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
D06M 14/00 Graft polymerisation of monomers containing carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds on to fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials
D06M 15/00 Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
D06M 16/00 Biochemical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. enzymatic
D06M 17/00 Producing multi-layer textile fabrics
D06M 19/00 Treatment of feathers
D06M 23/00 Treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, characterised by the process

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class D06, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE COMPANY 10,520
HAIER SMART HOME 8,532
LG ELECTRONICS KR 7,853
WUXI LITTLE SWAN COMPANY 5,749
QINGDAO HAIER WASHING MACHINE COMPANY CN 2,905
BSH (BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE) DE 2,785
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 2,662
GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES 1,701
PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 1,391
MIELE DE 1,374