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Product design
Design protection concerns appearance, such as shape, lines, colours, texture and ornamentation. It deserves its own review alongside the product's technical functions and brand.
Identify what should be shown
Gather consistent views of the same design. Decide which visible features matter to the intended protection and which belong to the surrounding context. Unclear representations can make later analysis more difficult.
Review earlier appearances
Novelty and individual character are central to EU design protection. Collect relevant earlier products and their publication information, then compare overall appearances rather than isolated details alone.
Coordinate the launch
Keep a record of prototypes, catalogue images, exhibitions and online releases. Disclosure rules differ across rights and jurisdictions, so a design-specific exception should never be treated as a general patent rule.
Check the official source
Official answers about trademarks, inventions, designs and procedures before the Polish Patent Office.
Official guidance on preparing an EU trademark application, defining protection and searching earlier marks.
European Patent Office information about technical inventions and the basic requirements for patent protection.
WIPO's introduction to copyright, patents, trademarks, designs and trade secrets.
Rekel Patent — an intellectual-property information website. Publisher: Vadym Rekel.
Continue reading
Product appearance: prepare the design before the launch
The shape of a product needs its own record. Connect consistent images, designer contributions and disclosure history before discussing protection.
Read the articleDesign protection: novelty, individual character and the 2026 EU reform
A practical sequence for disclosure research, visual comparison and the design representation rules applicable since 1 July 2026.
Read the article