The Problem: A Trademark Crackdown That No One’s Talking About

For decades, the term “NATO strap” has been widely used by watch enthusiasts and retailers to describe a specific type of durable nylon watch strap. Originally issued by the British Ministry of Defence in the 1970s, the NATO strap has become a watch industry staple. However, what most people don’t know is that this term is no longer freely usable in the watch world—at least not without legal risk.

In 2010, a US company called International Watchman Inc. successfully trademarked the term “NATO” for watch straps in the United States. This trademark has since been aggressively enforced, leading to serious consequences for small businesses and watch retailers. Many brands have been forced to change product names, rebrand entirely, or, in some cases, shut down their businesses. Some have had their funds frozen, accounts locked, and livelihoods disrupted over what should be a universally recognized and freely usable term.

Even major retailers have been affected. Many now avoid the term “NATO strap” altogether, opting for vague alternatives like “two-piece nylon fabric strap” to sidestep potential legal threats. This has created confusion for customers and unnecessary hurdles for businesses that have been using the term in good faith for decades.

How This Affects the Watch Industry

• Small brands have been forced to rebrand or close down. Many businesses simply couldn’t afford the legal battles or the cost of renaming and redesigning their packaging and marketing materials
• Retailers have had to rename their products, causing confusion. Instead of being able to market straps under their widely recognized name, they now have to use generic descriptions
• The watch community has lost control of a term that should belong to everyone. Unlike trademarks that protect unique brand names, this enforcement has targeted a term that has been in common use for decades

Our Solution: 'MILSTRAP' – A Name for the Watch Community, Not a Legal Weapon

At Steel Reef, we saw what was happening and knew something needed to change. We don’t even sell NATO-style straps, but we believe the watch industry should be able to use a common name without fear of legal threats. That’s why we secured the 'MILSTRAP' trademark in the UK (short for ‘Military Strap’)—not to restrict it, but to make it freely available to the industry.

What We’re Doing

• We’re making MILSTRAP available to any brand for just $1 per year. This ensures the term stays protected while remaining open to the watch community
• No lawsuits, no restrictions—just a freely usable industry term. Unlike the NATO strap trademark, MILSTRAP will not be used as a legal tool to block competition
• We’re pushing for industry-wide adoption. The goal is to establish MILSTRAP as the new standard term, allowing businesses to market their straps without legal uncertainty

How You Can Help

We want to be smart about rolling this out, and your insight would be invaluable. Whether you’re a brand, a retailer, or a watch enthusiast, your feedback can help shape how we introduce MILSTRAP to the world.

• Do you think brands will adopt MILSTRAP if we push it as a standard?
• Would you personally start referring to these straps as MILSTRAP?
• Are there watch brands you think we should get on board first?

Reach out to us below —we’d love to hear your thoughts.