Storm in a teacup

US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) attorney Eleanor Meltzer says that the cancellation procedure of 'rooibos' as a registered trademark in the US is underway. While stressing that she was unable to comment on specifics as the case was sub judice, she says the registration of 'rooibos' as a trademark in 1993 went unopposed probably due to the fact that very few people in the US knew what it was. She also mentioned that several other common terms, like linoleum, kerosene and escalator, were all at one time registered trademarks but were found to be in the public domain and deregistered.