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TMEP 1202.02(a): Functionality of Trade Dress

October 2017 Edition of the TMEP

TMEP Chapter Index
Chapter 1200: Substantive Examination of Applications
1202: Use of Subject Matter as Trademark
1202.02: Registration of Trade Dress

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1202.02(a)    Functionality of Trade Dress

In general terms, trade dress is functional, and cannot serve as a trademark, if a feature of that trade dress is "essential to the use or purpose of the article or if it affects the cost or quality of the article." Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Prods. Co., 514 U.S. 159, 165, 34 USPQ2d 1161, 1163-64 (1995) (quoting Inwood Labs., Inc. v. Ives Labs., Inc., 456 U.S. 844, 850, n.10, 214 USPQ 1, 4, n.10 (1982)).