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I really cant afford to trademark my tee shirt line yet. Is there any other way to either trademark it for dirt cheap or protect it until I can afford to do so????????? 
Help Please...ASAP
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I am in the mixed of trademarking my logo too. I am only 23 and haven't yet gotten enough money to submit an app yet either. I got on the site that talks about trademarking and it said you can use the trademark logo until everything goes through. Here is where I read that. If I read it wrong please advise me. I too would like to know if there is a cheaper way to do it. It would make me feel better. Hope this helps
When can I use the trademark symbols TM, SM and ®?
Any time you claim rights in a mark, you may use the "TM" (trademark) or "SM" (service mark) designation to alert the public to your claim, regardless of whether you have filed an application with the USPTO. However, you may use the federal registration symbol "®" only after the USPTO actually registers a mark, and not while an application is pending. Also, you may use the registration symbol with the mark only on or in connection with the goods and/or services listed in the federal trademark registration.
When can I use the trademark symbols TM, SM and ®?
Any time you claim rights in a mark, you may use the "TM" (trademark) or "SM" (service mark) designation to alert the public to your claim, regardless of whether you have filed an application with the USPTO. However, you may use the federal registration symbol "®" only after the USPTO actually registers a mark, and not while an application is pending. Also, you may use the registration symbol with the mark only on or in connection with the goods and/or services listed in the federal trademark registration.
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As long as your designs are original, and you created them entirely in your own head, you own the copyright to them without filing anything with the government. Filing for copyright is an extra measure, to ensure the protection of your work.
What I wrote above is for the United States only. I dont know about other countries.
What I wrote above is for the United States only. I dont know about other countries.
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56,238 Posts
The only way to officially register a trademark is to apply through the US Trademark office and pay the application fee.
Even then, it's just an application fee and there's no guarantee that your trademark will be approved.
I'm not a lawyer, but you might be better off just going out and establishing your t-shirt line. Get some shirts made up, sell them online. Get some labels made to put in your t-shirts with your brand on it.
Trademarks aren't meant to protect "slogans" or "ideas", they are meant to protect a "brand name".
When my trademark application was first denied, they asked for proof that it was a "brand". Some of the things they asked for were clothing labels with my "brand name" in them. Something I wouldn't have if I wasn't already selling the brand (I actually didn't have the labels anyway, since I didn't start using them at that point).
My laymans advice is to start selling now, and get your trademarks in order later.
If you don't have the money to register a trademark, then you probably don't have the money to pay a lawyer to protect the trademark from someone stealing it.
Get out there and start selling t-shirts!
I live in a small town and the slogan I want to use is a branch off of our town name. Okoboji----Okobooti. I think it will be very popular as someone else already has--"univeristy of okoboji" Even though there is no UofO here. It ballooned and locals tried to steal it. I'm real nervous about just putting it out there without it being protected. Where do I get a copyright from?
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First you need to understand how copyrights and trademarks work (a copyright probably won't protect the word okobooti and unless you establish okobooti as a "brand", you'll have a hard time registering it as a trademark).Cassidy said:
You can read more about trademarks at the US Trademark Office Website and more about Copyrights at the US Copyright office.
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122 Posts
a lamen way of doing this is write you ideas down on a paper, put that paper in an envelope with the designs and drawings and mail it to yourself... but dont open it... thats the "poor man" ways of protecting his ideas...
cheers
cheers
hi. i would like to know if it is possible to receive some advice or information from you. i have an idea for my own line but i don't know how to get started. can you tell the first steps to owning your own t-shirt company. it would be greatly appreciated.
thank you very much.
thank you very much.
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349 Posts
Welcome to the forums kfairy.kfairy said:
You need to take it upon yourself to read all the posts in the forum. The vast majority of your questions will be answered. Feel free to check out the search forum if you want to look for a specific answer.
The members here are very good about answering questions in a timely fashion but if you search and read posts on your own you'll probably learn a lot more in a shorter amount of time.
Good luck!
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damn... i would of thought so... damn forums on the internet.. never know which one to believe.. hahaha im glad i found this one...
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56,238 Posts
Hi kfairy, the great thing about a forum like this is that you don't HAVE to be online at the same time as everyone else to get the information you need.kfairy said:
Many topics about getting started selling t-shirts have already been discussed and archived. That means you would just need to search through the past threads or read old topics in the forum that you're interested in (for example, if you're interested in screen printing, you could read older threads in the screen printing forum).
If you have *specific* questions after you've read the older topics and searched for an answer, feel free to post your question in the appropriate subject forum and when our members see the question, they will respond. You can then return to the forum and read the answer to your question (or select "subscribe to topic" to be notified via email when someone responds to your question).
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