🧵 Nice Class 23: Yarns & Threads
The EUIPO register holds 8,833 trademarks in Class 23, the class for yarns and threads for textile use and one of the smallest classes in the register (as of July 2026). (as of July 2026).
8,833
Marks in the EU register
4,767
Registered with the EUIPO
+10 %
Growth 2020–2024
48 %
Word mark share
Class 23 is a true niche: it covers nothing but yarns and threads for textile use. The EUIPO register holds just 8,833 trademarks in Class 23, of which 4,767 are registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data), making it one of the smallest classes in the entire register. Small does not mean stagnant, though: new registrations climbed from 353 in 2020 to 388 in 2024, a 10 percent increase, and 2025 added another 433. This niche belongs to the specialists. Thread group Coats leads with 106 trademarks, ahead of sewing thread maker Amann (69), performance textile specialist X-Technology (66), fibre producer Lenzing (53) and hand-knitting yarn brand Katia (41). Word marks account for 48 percent of trademarks in Class 23. For founders, the modest size cuts both ways: far less crowding than in the big fashion classes, but a handful of deeply established players you need to check against before you file.
What belongs in Class 23?
Class 23 covers yarns and threads for textile use, the material that sits between raw fibre and finished fabric. Typical examples: sewing threads, embroidery threads, knitting and crochet yarns, wool in yarn form, and threads made of cotton, silk, linen or synthetic fibres. The textile chain draws the boundaries: unprocessed fibres and raw wool belong in Class 22, finished fabrics and textile goods in Class 24, and clothing in Class 25. If you dye, spin or finish yarn, this class protects the product, not the service.
Typical examples: Yarns and threads for textile use
New EUIPO registrations per year in Class 23
Most active applicants in Class 23
| # | Applicant | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | J & P Coats Limited | 106 |
| 2 | Amann & Söhne Gmbh & Co Kg | 69 |
| 3 | X-Technology Swiss Gmbh | 66 |
| 4 | Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft | 53 |
| 5 | Fil Katia Sa | 39 |
| 6 | Comité International Olympique (Association) | 39 |
| 7 | Sanrio Company Ltd | 33 |
| 8 | Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha | 31 |
| 9 | Trerè Innovation Srl | 30 |
Word mark or figurative mark?
Often combined with
Think along the textile chain rather than in a single class: in practice, Class 23 is most often combined with Class 24 (fabrics and textile goods), Class 25 (clothing) and Class 22 (fibres and raw materials). Before filing, ask whether your yarn brand might one day extend into fabrics or finished products, because the list of goods cannot be expanded later. Also check whether your name works as a word mark: 48 percent of trademarks in Class 23 are word marks, and in a niche dominated by a few large filers, a register search before filing pays off twice over.
Common mistakes with Class 23
The most common mistake: filing Class 23 on its own when the business model is broader. A craft yarn label rarely sells only yarn. Fabrics (Class 24), finished knitwear (Class 25) or DIY kits are usually part of the range, and without those classes the most important part of the line stays unprotected. Second mistake: picking the wrong class outright. Raw fibres and unspun wool sit in Class 22, not 23, so a misclassification protects the wrong thing entirely. Third, the small class invites sloppy searching: Coats, Amann and Lenzing may be few in number, but they are highly active filers with long-established portfolios, and a name that comes too close will get noticed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What belongs in Nice Class 23?
Class 23 covers yarns and threads for textile use: sewing threads, embroidery threads, knitting and crochet yarns, wool in yarn form, and threads made of cotton, silk or synthetic fibres. Raw fibres belong in Class 22 instead, finished fabrics in Class 24 and clothing in Class 25.
How small is Class 23 really?
With 8,833 recorded trademarks, of which 4,767 are registered, Class 23 is one of the smallest classes in the EUIPO register (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data). It is growing nonetheless: new registrations rose from 353 in 2020 to 388 in 2024, up 10 percent, with 433 added in 2025.
Who files trademarks in Class 23?
According to EUIPO register data (as of July 2026), the top filers are thread group Coats with 106 trademarks, Amann with 69, X-Technology with 66, fibre producer Lenzing with 53 and Katia with 41. The class is firmly in the hands of industrial and craft yarn specialists, which makes a search before filing especially important.
Which classes are typically combined with Class 23?
Most often Class 24 for fabrics and textile goods, Class 25 for clothing and Class 22 for fibres and raw materials. A hand-knitting yarn label that also sells patterns alongside finished knitwear closes the typical gap with 23 and 25, while a fibre innovator adds Class 22.
Sources
EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office: register data on EU trade marks and international registrations with EU protection, as of July 2026.
WIPO – Nice Classification: class definitions and headings (11th edition).
Methodology: own analysis by markencheck.ai; counted per filing entity, name variants merged.
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