What Is Nice Class 18?
Nice Class 18 is the trademark classification for leather goods, bags, and travel articles. It covers raw and finished leather and imitation leather, plus the finished products made from them: handbags, purses, wallets, backpacks, briefcases, suitcases, trunks, luggage, and travel bags. Through a historical quirk of the original 19th-century classification, it also covers umbrellas, parasols, and walking sticks — items that once shared the same makers and shops as leather goods.
For modern fashion and accessory brands, Class 18 is the "bags" class. It sits right next to Class 25 (clothing) in most brand portfolios, and the two together form the backbone of nearly every apparel and accessories label. Getting this pairing right is one of the most important class-strategy decisions a fashion founder makes.
What Class 18 Covers
- Leather and imitation leather, sold as raw or semi-worked material
- Handbags, purses, clutches, shoulder bags, and tote bags
- Wallets, card holders, and small leather goods
- Backpacks, rucksacks, and school bags
- Luggage, suitcases, trunks, and travel bags
- Briefcases, attaché cases, and business bags
- Umbrellas, parasols, and walking sticks
- Animal collars, leashes, and harnesses
Note what is excluded. Clothing and footwear are Class 25, even if made of leather — a leather jacket is Class 25, not Class 18. Jewelry and watches are Class 14. Eyewear cases can fall in Class 9 with the eyewear. The "made of leather" instinct misleads people constantly: the class follows the type of product, not the material.
Boundary note: A belt is the classic trap. A belt worn as clothing is Class 25; "belts" without qualification are usually treated as apparel. But a leather strap or industrial belt is different. When a brand sells leather belts as fashion accessories, they are typically claimed in Class 25 alongside the clothing line.
Trade Dress: Protecting the Shape, Not Just the Name
Class 18 is one of the richest classes for trade dress — protection for the look and shape of a product rather than its name. Some of the most famous trade-dress cases in fashion involve bags. The shape of the Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags, the intrecciato woven leather of Bottega Veneta, and various Louis Vuitton configurations have all been asserted as protectable trade dress.
To register the shape or appearance of a bag as trade dress, you must show it is non-functional and has acquired distinctiveness — consumers must recognize the design itself as a source identifier. That is a high bar and an evidence-heavy filing, but for an iconic accessory it can be the most valuable protection a brand owns. The mechanics are covered in our guide to trade dress protection.
The Class 18 + Class 25 Strategy
Almost every fashion and accessories brand needs both Class 18 and Class 25. A brand that registers only Class 25 (clothing) leaves its handbags, wallets, and luggage unprotected — a competitor could sell bags under the same name without infringing the clothing mark. The reverse is equally true.
Because so many brands extend across both categories, this is the default starting pair for apparel labels. Many add Class 35 for retail services and Class 14 if they also sell jewelry. Our Class 25 clothing guide covers the apparel half of the strategy in detail. Each class carries its own USPTO fee, so the decision is about matching coverage to the actual and planned product range.
Notable Brands in Class 18
- Louis Vuitton — the LV monogram, the Damier check, and bag configurations, defended through one of the most active enforcement programs in luxury
- Hermès — the Birkin and Kelly names and shapes, central to landmark trade-dress and dilution disputes
- Coach — the wordmark, the signature C pattern, and numerous bag-line marks
- Gucci — the GG monogram and the green-red-green web stripe, asserted across both Class 18 and Class 25
Common Filing Mistakes
- Filing only Class 25: the single most common error for fashion brands — bags get left out.
- Misclassifying leather clothing: a leather jacket is Class 25, not Class 18.
- Overlooking trade dress: brands with a distinctive bag shape sometimes protect only the name and miss the more valuable design protection.
- Vague goods descriptions: "leather goods" is too broad; list the specific articles you sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a leather jacket in Class 18 or Class 25?
Class 25. Clothing and footwear are classified by their function as apparel, regardless of material — so a leather jacket, leather pants, and leather shoes are all Class 25. Class 18 covers leather as a material and non-apparel leather goods like bags, wallets, and luggage.
Do I need separate trademark classes for clothing and handbags?
Yes. Clothing is Class 25 and handbags, wallets, and luggage are Class 18. A registration in one does not automatically protect the other, so fashion brands that sell both file in both classes. Many also add Class 35 for retail services.
Can I trademark the shape of my handbag?
Potentially, through trade dress. You must show the shape is non-functional and has acquired distinctiveness — that consumers recognize the design itself as identifying your brand. This is a higher evidentiary bar than registering a name, but iconic bag shapes like the Birkin have been protected this way.
Why are umbrellas in the leather goods class?
It is a historical artifact of the original Nice Classification. Umbrellas, parasols, and walking sticks were traditionally made and sold alongside leather goods, so they were grouped together in Class 18 and have stayed there ever since, even though they are not leather products.
Search Class 18 Before You File
Luxury and accessory names cluster tightly, and enforcement in this class is fierce. Use tmarkmetric to browse registered Class 18 trademarks, see which bag and luggage names are taken, and search the broader registry before you commit to branding hardware, dust bags, and labels. Clearing both Class 18 and Class 25 up front is far cheaper than rebranding a launched line.