ServicesBrand Protection

Brand Protection

We help protect your designs and brand from the start.

Your home-country trademark means nothing in China.

Founders register trademarks in the US or EU and assume they're protected globally. They're not. China operates on a first-to-file system — if someone else registers your brand there first, you lose the right to sell under your own name in the world's largest manufacturing market.

The damage compounds: factories claim ownership of tooling, generic NDAs prove unenforceable, and counterfeit copies appear on Alibaba before your product even launches. By the time you notice, the legal battle costs more than the product itself.

  • Relying on home-country IP registration, which has no legal force in China
  • Using generic NDA templates that are unenforceable under Chinese law
  • Giving a single factory complete product knowledge, enabling easy replication
  • Ignoring counterfeit monitoring until brand damage is already done
01

China IP Registration

Trademark and design patent registration with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) — the most effective defence against counterfeiting and factory IP leakage.

02

Factory Confidentiality Architecture

NDA and design ownership agreements structured under Chinese law — specifying that tooling, moulds, and product designs remain the exclusive property of your brand.

03

Supply Chain Compartmentalisation

Supplier network design that prevents any single factory from possessing complete product knowledge — reducing the risk of replica production.

04

Counterfeit Monitoring

Ongoing monitoring of Chinese e-commerce platforms and trade directories for unauthorised replicas — with takedown coordination when infringement is identified.

01

IP Registration

Trademark and design patent registration with CNIPA — the strongest legal defence against counterfeiting and factory IP claims in China.

02

Contractual Protection

China-law NDAs and ownership agreements specifying that tooling, moulds, and designs remain your exclusive property.

03

Monitoring & Enforcement

Ongoing surveillance of major e-commerce platforms with takedown coordination when infringement is identified.

8–12 monthsTrademark RegistrationCNIPA processing time
6–8 monthsDesign PatentCNIPA processing time
2Agreement TypesNDA + ownership
3Protection Layerslegal, contractual, operational

Brand protection in China starts with registration, not trust. We structure every new factory relationship with proper legal documentation.

China IP registration is still underused by many international brands. We make it a standard part of every new product engagement.