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Oh, trademarks. I talk about them a lot on Cutting for Business. Unfortunately for Silhouette Cameo and Cricut sellers who sell their goods – the situation is getting worse. In the last year or so – there have been so many new trademarks applied for and granted that it is hard to keep up. At each All Things Silhouette Conference I hand out a list of common trademarks and some alternatives. I recently updated the list and wanted to share it with you. The first list is trademarks you may have come across before, but many newer ones are listed in the second list.
| Trademark | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Onesie | Bodysuit |
| Koozie | Can Holder |
| Popsicle | Freezer Pop |
| Sharpie | Permanent Marker |
| Frisbee | Flying Disc |
| Shabby Chic | Cottage, Country |
| Tiffany Blue | Blue |
| John Deere tractor color scheme |
Use different colors |
| Lego | Block |
| Quatrefoil | Clover |
The thing about trademarks – more are being added everyday. Here’s a list of newer trademarks that you should avoid when selling your own products.
| Trademark | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Mermaid Life | Underwater Life, Mermaid Lover |
| Milestone Blankets | Memory Blankets, Age Blankets. Creator is seeking patenting and trademarks for the design, but they have not been approved at writing of this post. |
| #momlife, momlife | #parentlife |
| Bride Tribe, Team Bride | A lot of new trademarks related to brides were recently approved. Due to space, I’m not listing all the variations. |
| Motivational Bottle | The design of these popular bottles is also protected. Alternative: Water Bottle |
| Fight like a Girl | Strong like a Girl |
| Country Girl | Country Woman |
| Because Kids. | Kids. |
| Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | No good alternative. |
| Adulting | Being an adult |
| Verse of the Week | Weekly Verse |
| The snuggle is real | Love to snuggle, Snuggle lover |
| Boymom | Mom of boys |
It’s a good habit to always check the TESS database at the United States Patent and Trademark Office before creating a product for sale. For more trademark posts on Cutting for Business, click here.
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Since 2015, Christine Schinagl has been helping crafters start and run craft businesses through her blog, Cutting for Business. As a Silhouette and Cricut crafter herself, she has a unique take on what works and what doesn’t work in the craft business world. She also enjoys teaching other crafters how to create digital SVG designs, available through the Design with Me series.