THE HAT OF SAPONÉ PROTECTED AS A GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION
The Saponé Hat, dating back to the 13th century, is produced by Burkino Faso’s Saponé community and is integrated as part of their cultural and historical identity.
On 12 April 2022, the Saponé community received certification for the hat as a protected geographical indication. The registration certificate was handed to the local authorities of the Saponé community by officials at OAPI, making it the first registration of its kind for Burkino Faso.
The Minister of Industrial Development, Trade, Handicrafts, and Small and Medium Enterprises, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OAPI, Abdoulaye Tall, has welcomed the protection stating: “It is an object that beyond its origin has become a symbol of Burkinabe culture and an object of national pride.”
Source: Burkina: “If someone imports the Saponé Hat, it becomes counterfeit” (burkina24.com)
The pop-up that popped in and popped out: Off Rhode trade mark concerns
Influencer beauty gurus of South Africa were abuzz this past weekend with the announcement of a Rhode pop-up store at Mall of Africa. TikTokers wasted no time in running to secure the bag and soon fee...
March 19 2025
The Constitutional Court Puts An End To Unfair Levies/Taxes Imposed On Indigenous Communities
Introduction The levies/taxes at issue were imposed on indigenous communities for different reasons, including for reporting a death in a family, relocation to another village, and the allocation of a...
March 17 2025
Out with the Old and in with the New: Refreshing your brand with Intellectual Property in Mind
What do the following brands all have in common? A brand refresh, of course! Refreshing your brand can be an exciting way to modernise your business and keep it relevant to customers. But while you...
March 07 2025
