Off-White’s Signature Zip Tie is Now Trademarked

Following an uphill battle with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Off-White has officially secured a trademark on its signature red zip tie across clothing, accessories and footwear.

The label has experienced a troubled four-year pushback from the office. Off-White began using the zip tie on its goods in 2016 and filed its first patent application in July 2018. Since then, the trademark has been rejected three times due to reoccurring arguments surrounding its functionality, distinction and red color.

On March 29, 2022, Off-White’s trademark application was finally accepted as the office clarified its use. “The mark consists of a zip tie with a substantially rectangular end, all in the color red. The outline of a shoe is not claimed as part of the mark,” the granting officer states.

This marks the first of many patents that the label has filed to protect its goods from misuse, replicas and imitations as it awaits approval on its quotation mark motif and other logos.