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.
Trademark applications and registrations in Class 16 over the past 15 years.
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. 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.
Class 16 includes mainly paper, cardboard and certain goods made of those materials, as well as office requisites.
| # | Owner | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MARVEL CHARACTERS, INC. | 319 |
| 2 | THE UPPER DECK COMPANY` | 310 |
| 3 | DISNEY ENTERPRISES,INC. | 263 |
| 4 | PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE LLC | 226 |
| 5 | HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, INC. | 197 |
| 6 | CRAYOLA PROPERTIES, INC. | 186 |
| 7 | ACCO BRANDS CORPORATION | 181 |
| 8 | DIXON TICONDEROGA COMPANY | 174 |
| 9 | DC COMICS | 174 |
| 10 | SCHOLASTIC, INC. | 172 |
| # | Firm | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LZ Legal Services, LLC | 2,721 |
| 2 | Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. | 2,656 |
| 3 | Greenberg Traurig, LLP | 1,829 |
| 4 | Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP | 1,791 |
| 5 | VENABLE LLP | 1,724 |
| 6 | LegalForce RAPC Worldwide, P.C. | 1,708 |
| 7 | BARNES & THORNBURG LLP | 1,621 |
| 8 | Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP | 1,527 |
| 9 | Merchant & Gould P.C. | 1,461 |
| 10 | Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP | 1,454 |
Editorial deep dives spanning Nice Class 16 and adjacent classes
When the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board cleared its opposition docket in Q4 2025, the people who filed the oppositions mostly walked away winners.
On the last day of the quarter, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board sustained an opposition brought by the heirs of Diego Armando Maradona against Sattvica S.A.
When the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decided an opposition on the merits this quarter, the party bringing the challenge usually won.
Explore 196,608 live trademarks in Paper Goods and Printed Matter. Search by name, owner, or serial number — then filter by Class 16.
Search TrademarksPrinted 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.
Paper and cardboard packaging materials belong in Class 16. Plastic packaging belongs in Class 17. The material determines the class.
Yes. Printed calendars, planners, diaries, and organizers are all classified in Class 16 as printed matter and stationery.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.