PERSPEX
Perspex has been registered in the UK as a trademark for acrylic sheet material since ICI began manufacturing it in the 1930s. The material was critical to the British war effort, used in aircraft canopies for Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain.
UK IPO Record
Brand History & Trademark Analysis
Perspex has been registered in the UK as a trademark for acrylic sheet material since ICI began manufacturing it in the 1930s. The material was critical to the British war effort, used in aircraft canopies for Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain. Like many successful brands, Perspex faces ongoing genericisation risk, as the name is widely used in British English to describe any acrylic sheet.
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Historical Background
ICI developed polymethylmethacrylate in the early 1930s and launched it under the Perspex trademark in 1934. During World War II, Perspex sheet was used in the gun turrets and cockpit canopies of Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft. ICI sold the Perspex business to Ineos Group in 1999. In the UK, "perspex" is now so widely used generically that it appears in lower case in many dictionaries, yet the capitalised trademark remains protected and is actively enforced.