Thursday, November 21, 2024

Oaxaca seeks protection against Chinese-made alebrijes

The government of Oaxaca is taking legal action to protect the colorful artisanal wooden figurines called alebrijes from plagiarism and piracy by Chinese producers.

Oaxaca Economy Secretary Juan Pablo Guzmán said that a request has been sent to the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) to enforce a protection order for the folk art.

The registration called geographical indication will safeguard the Oaxacan heritage from inauthentic imitations.

“The IMPI has received the project sent by the government of Oaxaca for geographical indication for alebrijes, by which the wooden figurines carved by artisans would be protected at the national and international levels so that they won’t be subject to plagiarism and piracy,” he said.

The legal instrument will bring artisans better remuneration and worldwide prestige for their work, which will be protected and recognized across the globe, Guzmán said.

The government is working to protect textiles and the red and black clay pottery styles unique to the state in the same way, so that they also receive industrial protection from the IMPI.

“In Oaxaca artisans face problems such as competition from foreign products, primarily Chinese ones that are sold at lower prices and put them at a disadvantage, but also the fact that some foreigners take the models of the folk art and pirate them,” he said.

He added that the protection protocol aims to help with the production and commercialization of artisanal products, as well as advise artisans on intellectual property issues so that their creations and ideas are not stolen by others.

Source: Milenio (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri, left, and rocker Sammy Hagar, right, holding boxes and a bottle of their brand of tequila, Santo as they pose for a publicity photo

Did someone steal 24,240 bottles of Guy Fieri’s tequila?

2
Details are still unclear, but what is known is that a delivery of US $385,000 of Santos tequila – a brand founded by Fieri and Sammy Hagar in 2017 – has vanished en route from Jalisco.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum at a podium talking to reporters about Mexico's national water plan at a press conference.

Mexico’s new national water plan to review over 100K water concessions

0
"What we want is for water that isn't being used to be returned to the nation," President Sheinbaum told reporters at a press conference Thursday.
A sign reads Technológico de Monterrey, with glass and metal buildings in the background

Tec de Monterrey ranked one of the world’s top undergrad universities for entrepreneurship

0
The Nuevo León-based private university was the only school outside the U.S. to rank in the top 10.