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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; printers' type, printing blocks.

194,741live trademarks

Filing Activity

Trademark applications and registrations in Class 16 over the past 15 years.

  • Applications
  • Registrations
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Class 16 covers paper goods, printed matter, stationery, and office requisites — a broad category that encompasses everything from greeting cards and bookbinding materials to photographs, adhesive labels, and plastic packaging films. With over 70,000 live marks, this class remains heavily filed despite the digital shift, reflecting the enduring commercial importance of physical printed products and packaging materials.

Leading filers like Hallmark, International Paper, and Avery Dennison illustrate the class's diversity: consumer stationery brands coexist alongside industrial packaging companies and office supply manufacturers. Artists' materials, paintbrushes, and instructional teaching materials also fall here, making Class 16 relevant for educational publishers and art supply brands alike. Printers' type and printing blocks round out the class's coverage of the print production chain.

A common classification mistake involves confusing stationery adhesives with industrial adhesives, which belong in Class 1. Similarly, printer hardware and electronic reading devices fall under Class 9, not Class 16, even though they relate to printed content. Paper and cardboard used as building materials are classified in Class 19. Applicants filing for packaging materials should note that only plastic sheets, films, and bags for wrapping and packaging belong here — rigid plastic containers typically fall elsewhere.

Class 16 frequently overlaps with Class 9 for digital content brands expanding into physical publications, and with Class 35 for retail stationery services. Brand owners in publishing, packaging, education, and office products should evaluate whether their goods fit squarely in Class 16 or require multi-class filings to achieve full protection.

What's Included in Class 16

Class 16 includes mainly paper, cardboard and certain goods made of those materials, as well as office requisites.

  • paper knives and paper cutters;
  • cases, covers and devices for holding or securing paper, for example, document files, money clips, holders for cheque books, paper-clips, passport holders, scrapbooks;
  • certain office machines, for example, typewriters, duplicators, franking machines for office use, pencil sharpeners;
  • painting articles for use by artists and interior and exterior painters, for example, artists' watercolour saucers, painters' easels and palettes, paint rollers and trays;
  • certain disposable paper products, for example, bibs, handkerchiefs and table linen of paper;
  • paints (Cl. 2);
  • hand tools for artists, for example, spatulas, sculptors' chisels (Cl. 8);
  • teaching apparatus, for example, audiovisual teaching apparatus, resuscitation mannequins (Cl. 9), and toy models (Cl. 28);
  • certain goods made of paper or cardboard that are classified according to their function or purpose, for example, photographic paper (Cl. 1), abrasive paper (Cl. 3), paper blinds (Cl. 20), table cups and plates of paper (Cl. 21), bed linen of paper (Cl. 24), paper clothing (Cl. 25), cigarette paper (Cl. 34).
📓 Notebooks, journals, and planners
💌 Greeting cards and postcards
🖊️ Pens, pencils, and markers
📚 Printed books and magazines
🏷️ Stickers and decals
🎁 Gift wrapping paper
🎨 Art supplies and drawing pads
📎 Craft glue and tape for household use

Top Filers in Class 16

#OwnerFilings
1MARVEL CHARACTERS, INC.318
2THE UPPER DECK COMPANY`283
3DISNEY ENTERPRISES,INC.262
4PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE LLC225
5CRAYOLA PROPERTIES, INC.186
6HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, INC.182
7ACCO BRANDS CORPORATION182
8DIXON TICONDEROGA COMPANY176
9SCHOLASTIC, INC.174
10DC COMICS173

Top Law Firms in Class 16

#FirmTotal
1Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C.2,608
2LZ Legal Services, LLC2,458
3Greenberg Traurig, LLP1,760
4Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP1,759
5VENABLE LLP1,685
6LegalForce RAPC Worldwide, P.C.1,679
7BARNES & THORNBURG LLP1,589
8Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP1,505
9Merchant & Gould P.C.1,456
10Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP1,437

Recent Registrations

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Explore 194,741 live trademarks in Paper Goods and Printed Matter. Search by name, owner, or serial number — then filter by Class 16.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are e-books in Class 16 or Class 9?

Printed books belong in Class 16. Downloadable electronic publications and e-books belong in Class 9. Many publishers file in both classes to cover physical and digital formats.

Does Class 16 cover packaging materials?

Paper and cardboard packaging materials belong in Class 16. Plastic packaging belongs in Class 17. The material determines the class.

Are calendars and planners in Class 16?

Yes. Printed calendars, planners, diaries, and organizers are all classified in Class 16 as printed matter and stationery.

What about stickers and labels?

Printed stickers, labels, and decals are in Class 16. However, labels that are blank or used for industrial marking purposes may fall under Class 17 or Class 2.

Are digital planners and downloadable PDFs in Class 16?

No. Downloadable digital files including PDF planners, digital stickers, and e-books belong in Class 9. Class 16 covers only physical printed matter and stationery. Many stationery brands file in both Class 9 and Class 16 to cover digital and physical versions.

Do pens and writing instruments belong in Class 16 or Class 8?

Pens, pencils, markers, and crayons belong in Class 16 (stationery). Mechanical writing instruments with cutting or engraving functions (like engraving pens or styluses with blades) may belong in Class 8. Standard writing instruments are always Class 16.

Are custom packaging boxes in Class 16?

Paper and cardboard packaging materials, including custom printed boxes, belong in Class 16. However, plastic packaging belongs in Class 17, and metal containers belong in Class 6. The box material determines the class.

Where do coloring books and activity books go?

Printed coloring books, activity books, and workbooks belong in Class 16 as printed matter. Downloadable or app-based coloring activities belong in Class 9. Coloring tools like crayons and markers are also Class 16.

Are rubber stamps in Class 16?

Yes. Rubber stamps, ink pads, and embossing tools for paper use belong in Class 16 as office requisites. Inking stamps used for industrial marking may be classified differently depending on their specific application.