Bill Horist

A trademark registration will not only protect your brand from impostors, but it can also increase the value if your business and products and/or services that are marketed under the name. To create a TM not only means creating a brand that will uniquely identify you from among your competitors, but it can also be a way for customers to attach their loyalty to a quality brand.

If you’re having second thoughts about the application, here is an overview of the most common concerns about the process and its benefits.

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What is a trademark?

A trademark refers to the name, numeral, shape, color, device, or aspect of a packaging used in a business to distinguish its goods and/or services from another trader’s products. To protect against business branding theft in Singapore, a registered mark therefore is a recognized mark that is protected by the civil and intellectual property rights of the country where the trademark registration was applied. You can identify an unregistered trademark through the symbol ™ while the registered trademark uses the symbol ®.

What are the benefits?

If your Singapore company decides to seek help to protect your chinese brand, register your trademark at IPOS and once approved, the intellectual property laws are applied and enforced. This means that once you trademark Chinese words and register Mandarin brands, as an owner you are granted the statutory right to use and enjoy the benefits of the brand. The owner can exploit the mark in the jurisdiction in which it was registered and gives it advantages over brands that might attempt to use a similar trademark to confuse consumers. It can bar others from copying or using said registered trademark, but it can be licensed by the owner for use by other parties. Companies in Singapore can also enjoy 400% tax rebates under the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme.

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What are the requirements?

The basic requirements for a trademark application include a clear graphical representation of the trademark; name and address of the trademark owner; statement of request for registration, list of goods and/or services under the trademark; classification of the goods and/or services; declaration of intent to use the trademark; and the filing fee. You may also be required to come up with a unique logo design for your company. If you lack the expertise in graphic design, you may ask help from an emblem creator for a corporation based in Singapore. These experts can even provide you an emblem sketch for your own business.

If you need help with the identification of the classes of goods and/or services, just look for the guide detailing the 34 classes of goods and 11 classes of services. It is also advisable to perform a brand name registry search before you register trademark to make the process easier. That way, you still have enough time to change the design or brand before submitting the requirements. The cost of filing a trademark will depend whether it is an online or manual filing, the amendments to the application, and the number of classes.

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Can I register outside the country?

Before you can apply internationally, your trademark must first be approved in the country of origin. All applications in and outside of Singapore are handled by IPOS. International registrations are processed through the Madrid Protocol. The process is basically the same with applications in local jurisdictions. The application is reviewed, and the trademark inspected and scrutinized by the public through a journal before protection can be given. If there are any objections, the applicant will be given time to respond or to complete the requirements.

What are the causes for rejection?

A registration is rejected if there is an existing trademark that looks similar to the trademark you are using for the application or if the trademark is not capable of distinguishing the goods and/or services from the other products and/or services by other entrepreneurs. To avoid this, perform a trade mark search before submitting the application.

How is it approved?

You must first meet the requirements listed above before IPOS can give you a trademark number and acknowledgment letter. If there is a deficiency, you will be given 2 months to complete or change it. Next, the trademark registration is examined for conflict with other existing registered trademarks. A search will be done based on the marks, names, and classification of goods and services. If there is a problem, you must deliver a response within 4 months or the application will be withdrawn. Then, the trademark is posted for public scrutiny in the Trade Marks Journal for 2 months. They will accept objections to the application and a hearing will take place if there is an opposition. If there are none, a Certificate of Registration is issued to the trademark owner. The owner can now enjoy the benefits of a registered trademark for 10 years.

Pick up any one item from your laundry. Does it smell okay or does it have funky odour? Whether you you’re your laundry at home or send it to a professional laundry service, it shouldn’t have a peculiar bad scent—even the dirty ones.

If you often encounter clothing items that smells noticeably sour, even when they’re just out of the dryer, here’s how to ensure that your clothes smell fresh every time.

The Basics

How your laundry smells depends on the severity of factors like how dirty are the clothes, the detergent used, the type of water, the load of the machine, etc. This is when manufacturer instructions become important. If you want to ensure quality cleaning of your clothes, have them sent to a professional dress cleaner in Singapore. Some of these shops provide the best laundry service, especially if you don’t have the time to do the chore yourself.

For a laundry that smells as fresh as a field of flowers, start by having a clean washing machine. One way to ensure that your washing machine won’t smell musty is to avoid leaving any piece of clothing in there once you’re done washing. If your laundry appliance still smells funky, fill it up with hot water—don’t throw in your laundry just yet, or switch the machine on—and then pour two cups of white vinegar and then let the solutions it in your machine for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse your machine. This should get rid of the odour, which would otherwise transfer to your freshly washed clothes.

Now, turn on the machine and let the water-vinegar solution gush through every nook and cranny of the machine. Afterwards, add inthe clothes and a capful of detergent, and let the machine do its job. Once the clothes have gone a cycle, smell them to make sure they smell good.

Run the clothes into the dryer and use a scented fabric sheet for a fresh and clean-smelling laundry afterwards.

It is important to note that some fabrics and clothes are much better cleaned through a dry cleaning process. This might require you to clean clothes using chemical solvents, which a lot of laundry shops in Singapore can do for you if you don’t have the slightest idea about proper handling of specific fabric types.

Dealing with Smelly Laundry

• Cigar

Nobody likes the smell of cigar on clothes, even the people who smoke them. To get rid of the smell, soak the clothes in warm water with a few drops of dish soap for 10 minutes. Then, put the treated clothes in the washer, give it a few swirls and soak it for 30 minutes before running them in normal cycle. While the clothes are still wet, spray a product called Ozium before loading them in the dryer or hanging them on the clothesline to air dry.

• Mildew

To remove funky mildew smell, use good old borax. Mix 2–3 tablespoon of the powder in a machine full of water. This will not only eliminate the bad smell, but will also kill the bacteria and fungus that causes the odour. However, never use Borax when hand washing your clothes as it can easily irritate skin.

• Pee

Baby pee or pet animal pee, they both give off a unpleasant smell. Many people would immediately choose to throw the clothingaway. However, there’s a way to get that foul odour of urine out of your favourite clothing. Apply a paste made of water and baking soda on affected areas and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then, wash the clothing in water with a cup of vinegar. These extra steps will usually suffice in removing pee smell.

Smelly laundry can be better handled by a Singapore commercial uniform washing company. Commercial laundry follows an effective and strict protocol when it comes to handling uniforms, business suits, and the like. Some of these shops even use special industrial washing machine for the process.

Simple Tips for Fresh Smelling Clothes

1. Use Fabric Softener Carefully

If you choose to wash your clothes at home, instead of bringing it to a commercial laundry services,know that fabric softener can form a gunk from constant use. If you choose to use commercial fabric softener, make sure to dilute it in water before adding it into the machine and realize that it can take your laundry longer to dry.

• Dry Your Clothes Well

Drying normally takes so much time, especially during towel washing. Thicker items like towels take more time to dry than t-shirts and blouses. Never put them away in the basket with your dried laundry when they are still damp, if you don’t want an entire batch smelling funky after a few hours. 

• Air Dry the Clothes

Unless you want your clothes get washed by a laundry service, opt your clothes to be air dried in your backyard, in the balcony or any outdoor area of your home. The sun will keep the molds at bay and makes sure that everything dries out completely.

• Common Household Products

Try using a quarter cup of bleach. Add it to the water in the washing machine and ensure that it’s diluted before adding in your smelly laundry. Another option is to use half a cup of ammonia to a load of smelly clothes, but always remember to never use it with bleach to avoid creating a dangerous fume, which may spread throughout your laundry room or your home.

• Clean the Washer Regularly

Choosing to wash at home over professional uniform laundry also means maintaining your washer.You will need to deep clean your washing machine regularly to ensure there’s no build up of product that may cause the stinky odour to your laundry. You can find different washing machine cleaner and deodorizing products in any Singapore supermarkets.

• Wash Thicker Items Together

Separate casual clothes and towels and other thick materials when washing. Thicker items, especially towels, have the tendency to absorb more moisture, which can be a breeding ground for odour-causing molds and bacteria. Since you don’t want these microorganisms to cause the same smell on your garment, make towel washing separate from casual clothing and uniform laundry.

• Have It Professionally Washed

Nothing beats professionally washed clothes when it comes to ensuring your garment’s cleanliness. Commercial laundry services in Singapore know very well the possible causes of stink on clothes and, therefore, can eradicate them completely. Moreover, they use the appropriate products in washing different kinds of fabrics and only utilize well-maintained equipment for your clothes and uniform laundry.

We wash our clothes for the purpose of cleaning it and ensuring it smells fresh and clean when wearing it again. If your clothes smell off even right after it’s been washed, you’re probably doing it wrong. Seek these tips or have your clothing professionally washed by a commercial laundry services in Singapore.