Protecting a clothing range starts with knowing which parts of your work need protection. Your original artwork, the appearance of a garment, your brand name and a technical invention can involve different intellectual property rights.
This guide explains the main options for UK clothing startups and small brands, with links to official guidance. More than one type of protection can apply to the same product.
General information, checked against GOV.UK guidance on 3 November 2026. For advice about a particular design, launch or dispute, speak to a qualified intellectual property professional.
Can you copyright clothing designs in the UK?
Original artistic work, such as an illustration created for a T-shirt, may qualify for copyright protection. Original photographs and artwork used to promote your collection can also be protected. The position for a garment itself can be more complex, so avoid assuming that copyright automatically protects every feature of your clothing range.
In the UK, copyright arises automatically for qualifying work. You do not apply for it, pay a registration fee or add your work to a UK copyright register. Adding a copyright notice can identify the rights holder, but it does not create the right.
Keep dated sketches, original files, photographs and development records. If you commission artwork, agree ownership and permitted uses in writing: paying a freelancer does not necessarily transfer their intellectual property rights to your business.
Read the official guidance on how copyright protects your work and who owns intellectual property.
Design rights: protecting a garment's appearance
Design protection concerns how a product looks. There are different registered and unregistered rights, with different requirements and time limits.
- UK unregistered design right: can protect the shape and configuration of a qualifying three-dimensional design. It lasts until the earlier of 10 years from the end of the year it was first made available for sale, or 15 years from the end of the year it was created. A licence of right applies during the final five years.
- Supplementary unregistered design right: can protect a qualifying product's appearance, including two-dimensional and three-dimensional features, for three years from first public disclosure. Where and how you first disclose a design can affect protection; seek advice before launching in several countries.
- Registered designs: can protect a qualifying product's appearance, including its shape, pattern or decoration. Registration lasts five years and can be renewed every five years, up to 25 years in total.
Check eligibility and disclosure rules before publishing a new collection. Start with GOV.UK's guidance on unregistered designs and registering a design.
Trade marks: protecting your clothing brand
Your brand name and logo raise a separate question from the design of a garment. A registered trade mark can protect a qualifying brand for the goods or services covered by its registration.
Before committing to a name, labels or packaging, check for existing marks and consider professional advice about registration. Registering a company name or buying a domain name does not itself give you trade mark protection.
A UK trade mark registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed. Use the registered trade mark symbol, ®, only where you are entitled to do so. See how to register a trade mark.
When might a clothing invention need a patent?
A patent concerns a qualifying invention, rather than simply a new visual style. For example, a technical development in how a product functions may warrant specialist advice. A different colour or decorative print is not, by itself, a reason to apply for a patent.
If you think you have an invention, speak to a patent attorney before sharing it publicly. Disclosure can affect whether you can obtain a patent. Read GOV.UK's advice before applying.
A practical checklist before launching your range
- Identify what needs protection. Separate your artwork, product appearance, branding and any technical invention.
- Keep development records. Save dated files, sketches, samples, photographs and relevant agreements.
- Agree ownership. Set out rights and permitted uses when working with freelance designers, photographers and other suppliers.
- Check permissions. Confirm that any artwork, photographs or other material supplied by someone else can be used for your intended products and marketing.
- Plan protection before disclosure. Get advice on registration and confidentiality before sharing a commercially important new design.
Finding an image online does not establish permission to print it on clothing. Check the licence or obtain the rights holder's permission. GOV.UK explains using somebody else's intellectual property.
What if someone copies your clothing design?
Save evidence of the suspected copying, including dated screenshots, product listings and your own development records. An IP professional can help establish which rights you hold and whether they have been infringed.
The appropriate response depends on the circumstances. It may involve an agreement, mediation or legal action. See GOV.UK's guidance on defending your intellectual property before deciding how to proceed.
Give your clothing range a clear brand identity
Consistent labels help customers recognise your brand, but a sewn-in label does not replace appropriate IP protection.
When your artwork and brand details are ready, explore our woven clothing labels or contact GB Labels for help choosing labels for your range.
