What is Industrial Design?

The appearance of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the shape, lines, contours, colors, texture or materials of the product itself and/or its ornamentation.

Industrial Design; an effective tool for competitive advantage in the market

Industrial designs of products play an important role in the growth of industries through producing new and innovative designs of products. The Industrial Property Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2001 provides the legal basis for designers to protect such new designs and exercise their rights in the market.

Of the several benefits of design protection, it acts as unique selling point for products. When determining the factors that are responsible for how products are bought in the market, it has been perceived that the aesthetic nature/physical appearance of products play a decisive role in determining the preferences of consumers. Therefore, innovative and creative designs undoubtedly attract consumers establishing indispensable force of competitive advantage in our products against others in the market. 

Mandates of Industrial Design Registry

The Industrial Designs Registry has been established to meet the following purposes:

1. To facilitate registration and grant of rights on new and original industrial designs;
2. To promote innovation in the industrial designs sector through providing legal protection on industrial design creations; and
3. To promote knowledge and understanding of industrial designs by the private sector and the public, encourage its greater application.

Industrial designs must be registered with the Industrial Designs Registry to qualify for protection and to recognize rights in the industrial designs.