The INPI allows, during the trademark application procedure, to select a class and all its contents in order to constitute the wording of your trademark. Be careful, the content proposed by the INPI often does not correspond to your activity, or is too broad and exposes you to attacks from third parties. Therefore, at the very least, think of keeping only the goods or services that interest you, or, ideally, to write your own goods or services while respecting the spirit of each class. This post allows you to understand the spirit of classes 1 to 5. Let's go :
Class 1 : Chemicals for industry, science, photography, agriculture, horticulture and forestry; unprocessed artificial resins, unprocessed plastics; earth fertilisers; fire extinguishing compositions; preparations for quenching and welding metals; chemicals for preserving foodstuffs; tanning materials; adhesives (sticky substances) for industry; salt for preserving, other than for foodstuffs; chemical reagents other than for medical or veterinary use; decolourants for industrial use.
This class includes mainly chemical products or compounds that are not intended for household cleaning but are used in industrial processes or laboratories. It also includes fertilizers for agriculture or plants.
Class 2 : Paints, varnishes, lacquers, rustproofing products and products against wood deterioration; dyeing materials; mordants; natural resins in their raw state; sheet and powder metals for painters, decorators, printers and artists; food dyes; printing inks; leather inks; coatings (paints).
This class is relatively clear: all colouring products are covered here, from artists' and building paints to dyes, inks and food dyes. This class also includes products for the preservation of certain materials such as wood or metal.
Please note: the tools to apply these products are not included.
Class 3 Bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry use; cleaning, polishing, degreasing and abrasive preparations; soaps; perfumes, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions; toothpastes; depilatories; make-up removers; lipstick; face masks; shaving preparations; leather preservatives (polishes); leather creams.
This class covers three quite distinct and, for the moment, rather clear categories of products, although they have little in common:
- all household products for cleaning laundry, surfaces or objects
- all cosmetics in the broadest sense (including soaps, shampoos... in short, all body care products).
- leather care products
Class 4 : Industrial oils and greases; lubricants; products for absorbing, sprinkling, binding dust; fuels (including motor fuels) and lighting materials; candles, wicks for lighting; firewood; lighting gases.
This class includes all fuels and lighting materials (wood, oil, fuel oil, gas, petrol...), as well as candles, and industrial lubricants, greases and waxes. Be careful not to put the latter in class 1, which would seem logical given the industrial use of these products.
This class also includes scented candles (do not put in class 3 with home perfumes, even if the use is the same in the end).
Class 5 Pharmaceutical and veterinary products; hygienic products for medicine; foods and dietary substances for medical or veterinary use; baby food; food supplements for humans and animals; materials for dressings; materials for dental plumbing and dental impressions; disinfectants; products for the destruction of vermin; fungicides, herbicides. Bath preparations for medical use; panties or sanitary towels; chemical preparations for medical or pharmaceutical use; medicinal herbs; herbal teas; parasiticides; precious metal alloys for dental use.
This class also includes products that are very different:
- all medical and veterinary products that are neither cutting utensils (Class 8), medical devices and instruments (Class 10), nor scientific devices and instruments (Class 9). In plain language, this class is primarily aimed at mediciness, the hygiene products (diapers, towels, wipes, tampons...), including disinfectants and medical devices (compresses, bandages ...).
- all products against pests, whether plant or animal.
- medicinal herbs and herbal teas. Caution: herbal teas are not included with Class 29 teas unless it is specified that they are non-medicinal.
- foods for medical use: food substitutes, dietary foods and beverages. Do not put these with other foods in classes 29 to 32!
Attention, hygiene products that are also toiletries (e.g. intimate soap), do not go in class 5 but in class 3.