Gold Bros sued for using Isle of Skye tartan without permission

[ChattanCat]

So how do you know if a tartan is patented? It seems that after 17 years, at least in the US, patents run out. Is this true for the rest of the kilted?

[McMurdo]

So how do you know if a tartan is patented? It seems that after 17 years, at least in the US, patents run out. Is this true for the rest of the kilted?

The Isle of Skye was first woven and patented in 1992 making the patent 15 years old, I suppose if it is the same we will find out in a couple of years.

All I can say about the article is it looks good on them

[McClef]

So how do you know if a tartan is patented? It seems that after 17 years, at least in the US, patents run out. Is this true for the rest of the kilted?

Here in the UK you can renew for up to 20 years - http://www.ipo.gov.uk/patent/p-manag...enew-renew.htm

But it gets more expensive to do so.

[SteveB]

If the magistrates favor the plaintiff in the United Kingdom, the Gold Brothers could also face sanctions, and fines if ANY of the unlawfully produced merchandise has moved in international commerce. One of those cases could be the movement of the goods from the country of manufacture to Scotland. The International Trade Court of the United Nations could have a field day. The only area that has not been successful all the time is "intellectual property" as it has nothing that is physical that can be brought before the court. The "tartan" fabric and foreign manufacture of the material will be an easy piece of evidence against them.
There are many "Gold Bros." businesses all over the world. Maybe if one or two of them get hit hard enough, the quality will go up.