FORMICA
FORMICA is notable because it is one of the enduring material brands that crossed from trade use into everyday language. The mark brings recognisability to a class that can otherwise feel highly industrial. It also adds a useful design and interiors connection.
UK IPO Record
Trademark Classification
Nice Class 17 covers rubber & plastics. View all Class 17 trademarks and case studies →
Brand History & Trademark Analysis
Formica became the company's first registered trademark in 1922, with the name coined by founders Daniel J. O'Conor and Herbert A. Faber as a substitute "for mica" in electrical insulation. In 1978, the US Federal Trade Commission attempted to cancel the trademark on grounds it had become generic, but ultimately dropped the action. Formica Group invested £40 million in UK staff and facilities during the 1970s, including a laminated plastics factory in Tynemouth, England.