Trademark guides / Velcro
Is “Velcro” safe to use on Etsy?
No, not unless you’re selling the genuine brand. “Velcro” is a trademark of Velcro Companies.
"Velcro" is a registered trademark. Unless this is genuine VELCRO brand product, call it hook and loop.
Why it’s a problem
VELCRO is a registered trademark, and the company actively tells the public not to use it as a generic word. Listing a product that isn't VELCRO brand under that name gives the brand owner grounds for an IP report, and platforms remove reported listings first and review later.
What Etsy does when it’s reported
Etsy removes a listing when a rights owner files an intellectual property report, and you can only respond afterwards with a counter notice. Repeated reports against the same shop can lead to suspension.
Etsy's Handmade category makes this worse: sellers describe their own designs with popular words, and some of those words belong to someone.
What to write instead
- hook and loop
- hook-and-loop closure
- self-fastening
- touch fastener
Check the rest of your listing
One trademark is rarely the only risk. The scanner checks your whole title and description against Etsy’s own rules and every term in our trademark list.
Related
Source: Velcro: Don't say Velcro
General information, not legal advice. Trademark status can change; this page was last checked on 2026-10-10.