Class 18: Leather & Bags
Class 18 is bags and leather goods: handbags, backpacks, wallets, purses, suitcases and umbrellas, along with leather itself. It also covers some goods people don’t expect, such as walking sticks, horse saddlery and clothing and collars for pets. It’s the seventeenth most used of the 45, with 29,781 UK registrations between September 2021 and September 2026, which is about 5% fewer registrations than the average class. The main thing to get right is which bags belong here, because several don’t.
What class 18 covers
This is the official Nice heading, in full:
Leather and imitations of leather; animal skins and hides; luggage and carrying bags; umbrellas and parasols; walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery; collars, leashes and clothing for animals.
The heading covers three quite different areas. There’s leather as a material, including imitation leather and hides. There’s everything you carry things in: bags, luggage, wallets, purses and small cases such as key cases and card holders. And there’s a group of animal goods, from horse saddles and bridles to dog collars, leads and coats. Umbrellas and walking sticks sit here too.
When you definitely need class 18
- You make or sell handbags, backpacks, tote bags or other carrying bags
- You sell wallets, purses, card holders or key cases
- You make suitcases, travel bags or luggage tags
- You sell umbrellas, parasols or walking sticks
- You make pet clothing, dog collars and leads, or horse saddlery
When you might need class 18 without realising
Class 18 reaches into a lot of businesses beyond fashion accessories.
- Pet brands. Clothing for pets is class 18, on 2,818 registrations, and so are dog collars, on 1,809, and dog leads. A pet brand starting with coats and collars needs class 18 first.
- Beauty brands. Empty make-up bags and toiletry bags are class 18, with toiletry bags on 4,237 registrations, even when the rest of the range is cosmetics in class 3.
- Baby brands. Changing bags are class 18, on 843 registrations.
- Retailers and events with merchandise. Branded reusable shopping bags are class 18, on 2,061 registrations. Paper and plastic shopping bags are class 16.
If your product carries something, or is made for an animal to wear, class 18 is worth checking before you file.
Not sure whether your bag is class 18 or somewhere else? The free class tools below show you where businesses like yours actually file, or you can give us a call.
What businesses actually claim in class 18
These are the terms that turn up most often in recent UK class 18 registrations:
| Term | Marks using it | Share of class 18 | How common |
|---|---|---|---|
| bags | 12,704 | 42.7% | Essential |
| tote bags | 7,536 | 25.3% | Most use this |
| handbags | 7,414 | 24.9% | Most use this |
| travelling bags | 7,175 | 24.1% | Most use this |
| backpacks | 7,047 | 23.7% | Most use this |
| purses | 6,984 | 23.5% | Most use this |
| wallets | 6,131 | 20.6% | Most use this |
| umbrellas | 6,096 | 20.5% | Most use this |
| rucksacks | 5,198 | 17.5% | Most use this |
| shoulder bags | 5,154 | 17.3% | Most use this |
Bags dominate. Bags is on 12,704 registrations, with tote bags on 7,536 and handbags on 7,414 close behind. Backpacks, purses, wallets and umbrellas fill out the top of the table. Many of these come from fashion and lifestyle brands adding bags to a clothing range.
Because bags is so widely claimed, it helps to name the types you actually sell as well. Adding backpacks or wallets costs nothing extra within the class and shows exactly where your brand trades.
What class 18 does not cover
Bags made for a specific device are class 9. Bags adapted for laptops are class 9, on 1,766 registrations there, and so are camera cases. Phone cases are class 9 even when they’re leather, with leather cases for mobile phones on 1,297.
Leather clothing and belts are class 25. A leather jacket is clothing, and leather belts are class 25 too, where belts [clothing] appears on 13,377 registrations. Leather watch straps are class 14.
Some specialist bags sit with what they carry. Golf bags are class 28, with sports equipment, on 1,292 registrations. Cool bags are class 21. A cosmetic bag sold fitted with products inside is class 21, while an empty one stays in class 18.
Pet beds and toys are elsewhere. Dog coats and collars are class 18, but beds for pets are class 20, on 1,606 registrations, and toys for pets are class 28, on 4,630. Repairing bags and leather goods is a class 37 service.
Where these terms actually live
| Term | Belongs to | Marks using it |
|---|---|---|
| bags adapted for laptops | Class 9 | 1,766 |
| leather cases for mobile phones | Class 9 | 1,297 |
| beds for pets | Class 20 | 1,606 |
| belts [clothing] | Class 25 | 13,377 |
| toys for pets | Class 28 | 4,630 |
| golf bags | Class 28 | 1,292 |
Each of these is a separate registration. A mark in class 18 does not cover any of them.
The mistake I see most often
The mistake is letting the material decide the class. A leather brand often assumes everything it makes is class 18 because it’s all leather. It isn’t.
Take a leather goods brand selling handbags, wallets, belts, jackets, phone cases and watch straps. The handbags and wallets are class 18. The belts and jackets are class 25. The phone cases are class 9. The watch straps are class 14. File only class 18 and half the range, including some of the best-known pieces, isn’t covered.
The practical fix is to list each product by what it is, not what it’s made from, and check each one. A UK application can’t have classes added later, so it’s worth getting the list right at the start.
Is class 18 the right class for you?
If you make or sell bags, luggage, wallets, purses, umbrellas, walking sticks, leather, pet clothing, collars and leads, or saddlery under your own brand, class 18 is very likely yours. If you also sell leather clothing, device cases, golf bags, pet beds or pet toys, look at classes 25, 9, 28, 20 and 14 as well.
Our free class tools build a specification from wording already accepted on real UK filings, so you can see what businesses like yours claim before you commit.
Common questions about class 18
Is a laptop bag class 18?
No. Bags adapted for laptops are class 9, along with laptop sleeves and camera cases. An ordinary backpack or messenger bag that happens to fit a laptop stays in class 18, so the wording matters. A bag brand selling both often needs both classes.
Are leather jackets and belts class 18?
No. Leather jackets and leather belts are clothing, so they’re class 25. Class 18 covers leather as a material and leather bags and small goods. Leather and imitations of leather appears on 3,644 class 18 registrations.
Which class covers dog coats, collars and leads?
Class 18. Clothing, collars and leashes for animals are named in the class heading, with collars for pets on 2,012 registrations. Pet beds are class 20 and pet toys are class 28, so a pet accessories brand usually needs several classes.
Are golf bags and cool bags class 18?
No. Golf bags are class 28, with other sports equipment, and cool bags are class 21, with kitchen and household containers. Gym bags and sports bags stay in class 18, with gym bags on 4,024 registrations.
About these figures. Last researched 23 September 2026, from UK trademarks registered between September 2021 and September 2026 whose entry in this class is still active. That is current drafting practice rather than the historical register. Terms shown are those most frequently used in that period.
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