What does the individual character of an industrial design mean?

An industrial design is considered to have individual character if the overall impression it produces on an informed user differs from the overall impression produced on such a user by any design previously submitted for registration.

Individual character of an industrial design

The individual character of an industrial design refers to a key aspect of design law and protection. It is the uniqueness or distinctiveness of the design that sets it apart from any previously available design that was accessible to the public. In other words, for an industrial design to be considered to have individual character, it must create an overall impression on the user that substantially differs from the overall impression produced by any design that was already in the public domain. Design law focuses on protecting the appearance of a product or a part thereof, rather than its function. This includes aspects such as the color, shape, and overall aesthetic of the design. The individual character of the design is crucial in determining its eligibility for protection under design rights.