Copyright

The "artwork" applied to your clothing article is automatically protected worldwide by copyright. Copyright is free and need not be "registered".

However, copyright will not prevent others from copying the "shape" of your clothing article ‐ that's what Design registrations are for. Furthermore, to enforce copyright, you need to prove "copying". If your competitor merely "redeveloped" similar artwork without "copying" yours, you will have no action against the competitor under copyright law.

Tip: Add the following to your clothes label and marketing material:

© [Name of owner], [year] (e.g. © Nike, 2018)

Depending on the country, copyright typically lasts for between 50 and 95 years.