# The Soap Loaf Trademark Drama is OVER!



## 100%Natural (Oct 1, 2013)

Woot woot!



Important Message - "Soap Loaf" Trademark Issue
October 1, 2013 


Dear Hilary, 

Last week it came to our attention that a private handcrafted soap company had successfully trademarked the term "soap loaf".  


This word mark was published for opposition by the USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) on February 5, 3013.  It is registered to a company called Petunia Farms (Sole Proprietorship) and a Ms. JoAnn Netti.  Ms. Netti has been enforcing her mark on various sites, such as, eBay and having handcrafted soapmakers and suppliers that use the term "soap loaf" removed for trademark violation. 


The term "soap loaf" is a generic term that has been widely used in the handcrafted soap industry for decades and the trademark of this term creates an issue for the HSCG Members selling products using it.  Both soapmaker (handcrafter) and supplier members of the HSCG sell products using "soap loaf", either soap or molds so this has far reaching effects.

Last night, the HSCG Board of Directors made a decision to file a "Petition to Cancel Registration" with the TTAB (Trademark Trial Appeal Board) on behalf of the membership and sent notice to Petunia Farms and Ms. Netti.  

While we were in the process of compiling data and preparing our filing with the attorney we received notice that Ms. Netti had voluntarily canceled the registration of this trademark.  It is no longer necessary for the HSCG to take legal action and those of you that were using the term "soap loaf" to sell can now resume doing so without the fear of repercussions.  

We have a copy of the "Surrender of Registration for Cancellation" document and will provide it to any member that requests it.  This document will assist you in communicating with sites like eBay that have removed your listings for the trademark violation.

To receive a copy in .pdf format simply email: [email protected] 

Thank you.

Leigh O'Donnell
HSCG Executive Director
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## cmzaha (Oct 1, 2013)

And this is why we pay membership in the Soap Guild. Yeah!!!


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## Lion Of Judah (Oct 1, 2013)

...... when the big dogs roll they roll hard  // glad to see this issue resolved and that we can all continue to create "a" product that represents the soap making craft to the world.


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## Stinkydancer (Nov 13, 2013)

Good to know- Ebay pulled some of my listings because of her and reinstated but it was the whole principle of the thing. My attorney couldn't believe she even got a trade mark with that. HSMG rules!


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## Lindy (Nov 13, 2013)

It's the same as the Tooth Soap debacle years ago, another common term was being trademarked.  She has dropped enforcing it, but I don't know if it is still registered.


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## Stinkydancer (Nov 17, 2013)

Lindy said:


> It's the same as the Tooth Soap debacle years ago, another common term was being trademarked.  She has dropped enforcing it, but I don't know if it is still registered.



Oh I remember that. I never did the tooth soap thing but I remember when that was going around.

The woman who was trying to enforce soap loaf was not right. She sent me messages that just weren't correct. I lost sales on Ebay because of her since I had an ongoing 3 week thing between Ebay and her. My customers on Ebay were freaked out. I handled it but she caused a bunch of chaos.


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## Lindy (Nov 19, 2013)

I so dislike it when people try to trademark descriptive terms....


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## savonierre (Nov 19, 2013)

I remember that toothsoap saga. I am glad the other is finished too.


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## la-rene (Nov 19, 2013)

I know I've said this before, but seriously... a certain large company is a real pain in the patent butt. 

 Do you know that in 2003 they patented solid conditioners...Here

Solid bubble bath bars in 2000 here

These next are in pre patent phase so if you've been making them for years... they are going to be able call patent infringement on your product.  The worst part is, they leave themselves a lot of leeway by making ingredient percentages incredibly wide... like 50 to 80% exfoliating granulars ie:sugar.

A solid exfoliator composed of a surfactant, sodium      bicarbonate, cream of tartar, and a granular exfoliant. in 2009 here.

Facial toner: 1. A method of toning the face comprising the steps of (a) dissolving in      water a toner concentrate in the form of a solid comprising (i) citric      acid (ii) sodium bicarbonate (iii) one or more essential oils to provide      a toner (b) applying the toner to the face. With Tea Tree and Lavender E/O   Here

This is the one that bites my butt... 'cause I'm pretty sure some of you have made lotion bars for years....

A Lotion Bar in 2000: A cosmetic lotion comprising _16% to 76% by weight cocoa butter_ and having      a solid rather than liquid form. Also a method of manufacturing a      cosmetic lotion having an oil based component and a water based component      characterised by selecting the oil based component to comprise cocoa      butter so that the cocoa butter constitutes 16% to 76% by weight of the      final form of the lotion; heating the cocoa butter to a temperature in      the range 55.degree. to 70.degree. C.; cooling the cocoa butter to a      temperature in the range 35.degree. to 25.degree. C. and at a temperature      in that range adding the water based component. Here.

Anyway.  Just my 2 cents.  I'm thinking that patents shouldn't allow such wide open ingredient percentages.... I mean, there is a real big difference between 50% sugar and 85% sugar content.
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...+and+constantine&RS=(IN/mark+AND+constantine)


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