Trademark Class 16: Paper Goods and Printed Matter
Paper and cardboard; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery and office requisites, except furniture; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; drawing materials and materials for artists; paintbrushes; instructional and teaching materials; plastic sheets, films and bags for wrapping and packaging; type and printing blocks for printers.
What Class 16 covers in practice.
Class 16 covers paper and cardboard; printed matter such as books, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, posters, calendars, forms and tickets; stationery and office requisites other than furniture; drawing and artists' materials, paintbrushes and teaching materials; bookbinding material; photographs; adhesives for stationery or household use; and packaging of paper, cardboard or plastic, including carrier bags, garbage bags, wrapping film and bubble film. The explanatory note adds paper knives, document files, passport and cheque book holders, office machines such as typewriters, franking machines and pencil sharpeners, painting tools like easels, paint rollers and trays, and disposable paper bibs, handkerchiefs and table linen.
Paper goods with a specific function go to that function's class: photographic paper to Class 1, abrasive paper to Class 3, paper plates and cups to Class 21, paper clothing to Class 25 and cigarette paper to Class 34. Indian filers include publishers and newspapers, stationery and notebook brands, paper-bag and corrugated-box makers, tissue and napkin converters, plastic carry-bag manufacturers and wedding-card makers.
Not in Class 16
Goods and services often confused with this class, and the class they actually belong to.
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Paper cups and paper plates Class 21 ↗
The Class 16 note sends table plates and cups of paper to Class 21, which lists paper plates and cups of paper or plastic.
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E-books and downloadable publications Class 9 ↗
Downloadable electronic publications are listed in Class 9; Class 16 covers only printed versions.
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Printing services for clients Class 40 ↗
Printing done to order, including offset and lithographic printing, falls under printing services, which the Class 40 heading names.
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Cigarette and rolling paper Class 34 ↗
The Class 16 note sends cigarette paper to Class 34 because paper goods classed by function follow that function.
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Sandpaper and abrasive paper Class 3 ↗
The note excludes abrasive paper, which Class 3 lists alongside sandpaper.
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Watercolour and oil paints for artists Class 2 ↗
The note excludes paints; Class 2 lists watercolour and oil paints for use in art, while brushes and palettes stay in Class 16.
What actually falls under Class 16.
The official heading is a legal category, not a shopping list — here are specific products and services from Class 16 people actually search for.
Adhesive tape for stationery or household use
Other adhesive tapes, such as duct tape and industrial tapes, are Class 17.
Baking and parchment paper
Books / printed publications
Calendars
Diaries / planners
Envelopes
Erasers and pencil sharpeners
File folders / office stationery
Garbage bags of paper or plastic
Plastic garbage bags are Class 16; household dustbins are Class 21.
Gift wrapping paper
Glue for stationery or household use
Adhesives for industrial purposes are Class 1.
Greeting cards
House painters' rollers and paint trays
The paint itself is Class 2.
Materials for artists (brushes, easels, palettes)
Paints for artists are Class 2, not Class 16.
Newspapers / magazines
Notebooks / stationery
Office stamps and stamp pads
Packaging boxes (cardboard)
Paper and cardboard packaging / bags
Packaging bags not of textile are classed by material: paper or plastic Class 16, rubber Class 17, leather Class 18. Textile packaging bags and bulk sacks, such as jute gunny bags, are Class 22.
Paper party decorations
Paper party hats, confetti and party poppers are Class 28.
Pens and pencils
Photograph albums
Plastic film for wrapping
Wrapping film and bubble film are Class 16; plastic film not for wrapping, such as anti-glare window film, is Class 17.
Stickers / labels (paper)
Table napkins of paper
Toilet paper and paper handkerchiefs
Tissues impregnated with cosmetic lotions are Class 3; those with pharmaceutical lotions are Class 5.
Wedding invitation cards
Which class is my product or service in?
Straight answers for the specific items people search for under Class 16.
Class 16. Its heading covers plastic sheets, films and bags for wrapping and packaging, and the list includes carrier bags of paper or plastic, garbage bags of paper or plastics, food bags, plastic film for wrapping and plastic bubble film for wrapping. Class 17 covers semi-processed plastics for manufacture, plastic film not used for wrapping, and packaging bags of rubber. Textile packaging bags and bulk sacks, such as jute gunny bags, are Class 22.
No. Paper napkins, paper tablecloths, place mats of paper and paper towels are Class 16, but paper plates and cups of paper or plastic are Class 21, because tableware is classified by function rather than material. A disposable-tableware maker producing cups, plates and napkins under one brand needs to cover both Class 16 and Class 21.
Only printed versions. Books, newspapers and magazines on paper are Class 16. Downloadable electronic publications are Class 9, while providing online non-downloadable publications and publication of books are both Class 41. A publisher with print and digital editions commonly files in Classes 9, 16 and 41 to cover each format.
Printing done to a client's order is a service in Class 40, which lists printing, offset printing and lithographic printing. Class 16 is for printed goods sold under your own brand, such as notebooks, calendars or wedding cards from your own catalogue. Printing machines are Class 7 and graphic arts design is Class 42.
Not always. Toilet paper, paper handkerchiefs, paper towels and tissues of paper for removing make-up are Class 16. Tissues impregnated with cosmetic lotions and baby wipes impregnated with cleaning preparations are Class 3, while tissues impregnated with pharmaceutical lotions and babies' diapers are Class 5. A hygiene-paper brand that also sells wet wipes needs Class 3 (or Class 5 for medicated wipes) alongside Class 16.
Paper and cardboard; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery and office requisites, except furniture; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; drawing materials and materials for artists; paintbrushes; instructional and teaching materials; plastic sheets, films and bags for wrapping and packaging; type and printing blocks for printers.
Common examples include: Adhesive tape for stationery or household use, Baking and parchment paper, Books / printed publications, Calendars, Diaries / planners, Envelopes, Erasers and pencil sharpeners, File folders / office stationery.
Notebooks / stationery falls under Trademark Class 16 — Paper Goods and Printed Matter.
Books / printed publications falls under Trademark Class 16 — Paper Goods and Printed Matter.
Wedding invitation cards falls under Trademark Class 16 — Paper Goods and Printed Matter.
Paper and cardboard packaging / bags falls under Trademark Class 16 — Paper Goods and Printed Matter. Packaging bags not of textile are classed by material: paper or plastic Class 16, rubber Class 17, leather Class 18. Textile packaging bags and bulk sacks, such as jute gunny bags, are Class 22.
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