What Is Nice Class 24?
Nice Class 24 is the trademark classification for textiles and textile goods — the fabric itself and the soft home furnishings made from it. It covers woven and non-woven fabrics, textile piece goods, bed linen and sheets, blankets and bedspreads, towels, curtains and drapes, table linen, and textile coverings. It is the home-linens and fabrics class, distinct from both the clothing made from textiles and the furniture they dress.
The single most important thing to understand about Class 24 is its boundary with Class 25. Fabric is Class 24; finished clothing is Class 25. A bolt of cloth, a bedsheet, and a curtain are Class 24, but a shirt sewn from the same fabric is Class 25. This is the line that trips up textile and apparel founders most often.
What Class 24 Covers
- Woven, knitted, and non-woven fabrics and textile piece goods
- Bed linen, sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, and bedspreads
- Blankets, throws, and quilts
- Towels, washcloths, and bath linen
- Curtains, drapes, and textile window coverings
- Table linen: tablecloths, napkins, and runners
- Textile wall hangings and coverings
- Labels and textile materials for making goods
Exclusions matter here. Clothing, footwear, and headgear are Class 25. Furniture, including beds and mattresses, is Class 20. Yarns and threads are Class 23. Floor coverings and rugs are Class 27. So a complete bedroom range spans Class 24 (linens), Class 20 (bed), and Class 27 (rug).
Boundary note: A "cushion" splits between classes. The filled cushion form is Class 20; the decorative textile cover is Class 24. Home brands selling soft furnishings often need both classes to cover the full product.
The Class 24 / Class 25 Line
Because fabric and clothing are so closely linked, brands frequently misfile. A textile mill or fabric brand files in Class 24. An apparel label files in Class 25. But a brand that sells both fabric by the yard and finished garments needs both. The distinction is finished-garment versus raw or home textile — a scarf is clothing (Class 25), but a length of upholstery fabric is Class 24. Our Class 25 clothing guide covers the apparel side, and the fastest way to avoid a misfile is to ask whether the product is worn as clothing or used as material or a home furnishing.
Fabric Patterns and Design Protection
Textiles is a category where a distinctive pattern can function as a brand. A signature check, stripe, or print — think of how certain heritage patterns are instantly associated with their makers — can be protected as a figurative mark or as trade dress where it identifies source rather than merely decorating the cloth. This is a valuable but nuanced area: purely ornamental patterns are hard to register, while patterns that consumers recognize as a brand indicator can qualify. Where the design sits on the distinctiveness scale shapes how it is treated.
Notable Brands in Class 24
- Brooklinen — direct-to-consumer bedding and home linens
- Frette — luxury linens, a heritage name in fine home textiles
- Pendleton — known for distinctive woven blanket patterns alongside its apparel
- Major heritage textile houses — whose signature patterns are protected as figurative marks
Common Filing Mistakes
- Filing clothing in Class 24: finished garments are Class 25.
- Filing the bed in Class 24: furniture is Class 20; only the linens are Class 24.
- Filing rugs in Class 24: floor coverings are Class 27.
- Treating a pattern as automatically protectable: purely ornamental patterns are hard to register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is clothing in Class 24 or Class 25?
Finished clothing is in Class 25. Class 24 covers the textile itself — fabric, bed linen, towels, and curtains. A shirt is Class 25, but the fabric it is made from is Class 24. A brand selling both fabric and finished garments needs both classes.
What class is bedding in?
Bed linen, sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, and blankets are in Class 24 as textile goods. The bed and mattress themselves are Class 20 (furniture), and a rug in the room is Class 27. A complete bedroom range therefore spans several classes.
Can I trademark a fabric pattern?
Sometimes. A pattern that functions as a source identifier — one consumers associate with a specific brand — can be protected as a figurative mark or trade dress. A purely ornamental or decorative pattern that does not indicate source is difficult to register. Heritage patterns strongly tied to a maker are the classic protectable example.
Are curtains and towels in the same class?
Yes. Both curtains and towels are textile home furnishings in Class 24, along with bed linen, table linen, and blankets. The class covers soft textile goods for the home, distinct from the furniture (Class 20) and floor coverings (Class 27) around them.
Search Class 24 Before You File
Home-textile and fabric names overlap with adjacent clothing and home classes, so clearance should span Class 24, 25, and 20. Use tmarkmetric to browse registered Class 24 trademarks, see which names and patterns are claimed, and search the broader registry before you commit to a collection or label.