Design right
Intellectual property protection for the visual appearance of a product — its lines, contours, colors, shape, and ornamentation.
A design right protects the visual appearance of a product — its lines, contours, colors, shape, texture, or ornamentation. Unlike a patent, a design does not protect technical function; it protects how something looks. In the European Union, registered Community designs grant up to twenty-five years of exclusive rights against unauthorized copying, in five-year renewal blocks. Unregistered Community designs grant three years of protection against copying from the date the design was first made available to the public. Design rights are an important complement to patents for products where appearance drives commercial value, such as consumer goods, furniture, and fashion.