Post by EUIPO - European Union Intellectual Property Office

You may think yoga is built on asanas and inner balance… yet behind many studios, wellness brands and training methods lies a whole ecosystem of intellectual property. 🔹 Some yoga methods have evolved into protected business models. Bikram Yoga (now an expired EUTM) built an entire licensing model around a specific style of hot yoga, illustrating how a yoga method can be commercially exploited through trade mark protection. EUTMs such as JIVAMUKTI YOGA, CorePower Yoga, VAYU Aerial Yoga and Yoga Alliance further reflect how yoga methods, studio networks and certification systems have become powerful brand identities. 🔹 Yoga has also become a major lifestyle and design industry. EUTMs such as ALO YOGA, lululemon, BORN LIVING YOGA, Hey Honey, CASALL and KUJTEN protect yogawear and wellness brands, while many also rely on EU designs to safeguard the appearance of their clothing and sports accessories, reflecting the strong presence of European activewear brands within the sector. 🔹 Yoga creators are also building protected personal brands. EUTMs such as YOGA WITH ADRIENE and Yoga Girl RB show how influencers increasingly rely on trade marks to protect their identity and online presence. While yoga poses themselves are not protected, recorded classes and original audiovisual content may benefit from copyright protection, adding another layer of IP to the modern yoga ecosystem. Happy #InternationalYogaDay! Rest in savasana… and IP rights. 🧘™