Trademark Protection
Look for the Label- “Officially Licensed Collegiate Products” label/hologram sticker
Importance of Buying Licensed Gear
- Use of WVU’s trademarks and wordmarks without permission constitutes trademark infringement.
- Royalties help fund university marketing initiatives and provide support for WVU Athletic Scholarships.
- West Virginia University is a member of The Fair Labor Association (FLA). The FLA is an organization dedicated to protecting workers’ rights and improving working conditions worldwide. As part of the university’s membership, licensed vendors are also required to join the FLA.
- West Virginia University is affiliated with the The Worker Rights Consortium (
WRC
). The WRC is an independent labor rights monitoring organization.
-
Licensed product has been reviewed and approved for messages deemed appropriate
to associate with the University.
Signs of Unlicensed Products
- Product seems to be made of poor quality
- Trademarks are used in a distasteful manner
- WVU trademarks are manipulated or distorted
- No CLC hologram label
- Cut tags
- No registration marks, such as the ® or TM
Where to Report
Report unlicensed product by sending an email to trademarklicensing@mail.wvu.edu.
Please include as much information as possible (a picture, where it is being sold, who produced the product, etc.)