Protecting your IP and tooling when sourcing
Practical steps to reduce the risk of your design, brand or moulds being copied when you manufacture in China.
The risk is real, but manageable
If your product has a distinctive design, brand or technical edge, intellectual-property risk is worth taking seriously — but it is manageable with a few sensible steps rather than a reason to avoid sourcing.
The goal is to make copying harder and to have recourse if it happens, not to achieve perfect secrecy.
Get the right agreement in place
For China, a purpose-written NNN agreement (Non-disclosure, Non-use, Non-circumvention) governed appropriately is generally more effective than a standard Western NDA, because it also stops the factory using your design or going around you to your customers.
Have it in place before you share detailed designs or tooling.
Register your rights in China
China largely operates a first-to-file system for trademarks, so registering your trademark (and, where relevant, design rights) in China — ideally before you start production — protects your brand locally.
Relying only on UK or EU registrations does not automatically protect you inside China.
Own the tooling and split the work
Where custom moulds or tooling are involved, agree in writing that you own them. For higher-risk products, splitting production so no single supplier holds the whole design is a further safeguard.
People on the ground who know the factory and the local landscape are one of the most practical protections of all.
Frequently asked questions
What is an NNN agreement?
A Non-disclosure, Non-use, Non-circumvention agreement written for the Chinese context. It goes further than a typical NDA by also stopping the supplier using your design or selling around you.
Can I stop a factory copying my product?
You can make it much harder and give yourself recourse — through the right agreement, registering your rights in China, owning the tooling, and working with a trusted partner. No approach is a perfect guarantee.