| 65 Atér MANUFACTURING Many businesses underestimate the power of the intellectual property in their business. Often they are unaware of the value it represents and therefore how crucial it is to protect it. Marks & Worth Lawyers is a Dunedin-based irm specialising in intellectual property (IP). They provide specialist IP advice to both New Zealand-based and international businesses. IP encompasses a wide range of things, from brands to inventions, creative works to computer code. Marks & Worth Director Sally Peart and Senior Associate Rachel Laing have extensive experience advising businesses and creatives how best to protect their IP, and where necessary, stop others from stealing it. Whilst protection may involve registration, such as a trade mark or registered design, that isn’t always necessary or desirable to register your IP rights. “Sometimes the best strategy can be achieved through well-drafted contracts,” says Sally. “The most common and a ordable form of IP protection for brands is through a registered trade mark. A trade mark is like a signpost to the consumer that your goods and services originate from you and not from anyone else.” Marks & Worth can advise on the strength of a trade mark and its likelihood of being accepted for registration, and o ers businesses a ixed fee “IP Health Check”. “A New Zealand trade mark gives you protection throughout the country even if you’re only operating in one area, so can preserve your ability to expand your business in the future. We can also use your New Zealand trade mark as a basis for international brand protection in a wide range of countries. “Often clients come to us because they’re already aware of a breach of their intellectual property and need a speedy resolution. Even without a registered trade mark, there are ways to achieve a good outcome for clients in what can be a very stressful situation. “We can also advise businesses on ways to structure ownership of their IP in order to provide better protection for it. Often the biggest threats come from people, and there are some fairly simple steps businesses can take to prevent loss of valuable IP.” Sally worked directly with Atér’s Georgina Lawson. “As staunch supporters of local business, we were thrilled to play our role in helping Georgina and Atér to trademark their brand for their beautiful wool coats. It’s a real privilege to work with an entrepreneur right from the outset, and to watch them build their brand.” INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW Let’s keep your shiny things safe. Kiwis don’t like blowing their own trumpets. But we’ll help you figure out if you have a trumpet, and how to keep your shiny things safe. Talk to us about - Leveraging your IP - Trademark advice and protection - Registered design protection - Keeping things confidential - Structuring your business - Resolving IP disputes - IP Health Check We're champions of Kiwi innovation and invention, so talk to us about protecting your great ideas today. marksandworth.nz Every business has IP in some form, whether it’s a brand, an invention, some unique source code, or a recipe for boutique gin (our personal favourite). We can help you protect your IP and structure your business around it. And if anyone’s cheeky enough to steal your IP, we’ve got your back. Marks & Worth Lawyers T T Emma Bailey Showcasing NZ Wool Atér owner and designer Georgina Lawson’s timeless wool coats are 100% grown, designed and made in New Zealand. A desire to showcase New Zealand wool and locally made fashion led to the creation of the luxurious Atér coats, just ahead of the curve that is seeing wool enjoying a long overdue renaissance. Atér owner and designer Georgina Lawson’s timeless wool coats are 100% grown, designed and made in New Zealand using the wool from her Otago farm, located 20 minutes north of Dunedin. “I’m not from a farming background, my husband runs the farm. I’m actually a qualified sonographer and I was home with three young boys and wanted to learn about wool, especially back then when the wool prices were terrible and I started looking at what we could do with it,” Georgina says. “I wanted to showcase New Zealand wool.” She did her research on what happened to the wool when it came off farm and started looking at making coats. “Back then there wasn’t a lot of information about processing. I ended up sending it to Wool Works in Timaru for scouring and then up to Wool Yarns in Wellington to get it dyed and sent to Interweave in Auckland to be woven into fabric.” While Georgina designs the luxurious coats, they are cut and sewn in Auckland. “I wouldn’t do it if I couldn’t do everything in New Zealand. We’ve got really great manufacturers here and I have learnt so much from those relationships,” she says. “The first time the wool was turned into a coat it was a really proud moment.” Her coats are sold mainly online, but they are also stocked at Dalethorpe House in Darfield, Gifted in Wanaka, and now Walter Peak Station in Queenstown, as well as at pop up events. Through her website, the coats have attracted a lot of overseas buyers. The feedback has been extremely positive with buyers often coming back to purchase more coats, even though they are made to last a lifetime. Wool’s renaissance has been really positive, Georgina says. “The resurgence in wool has been amazing. In June, there was a fairly significant wool sale. The sale prices were the highest they have been in 30 years and some of our lamb’s wool was amongst that. ”All of this is very exciting and a major win for wool. Things are looking very promising for the New Zealand wool industry.” The increase in oil prices has probably had an impact too, she believes. “It takes so much oil to produce synthetics, and also supply and demand is a factor because sheep numbers have dropped.” Atér is named after her grandmother, Reta, (Atér backwards), who she began her design journey with and who inspired her business. “My grandmother was a dressmaker. Some of my earliest memories are making drawings and designs and she would help me make it. I just loved it and from a young age had a love for fashion. “It was this desire that led to Atér – inspired by my grandmother, my love for fashion and to showcase that fashionable wool pieces can be grown, designed and made in New Zealand.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=