news: now indies are getting ripped off
We’ve all read plenty about Forever 21 stealing other people’s designs.
But now, I find out that independent designers also face the risk of being copied (thanks to Miss Malaprop) by other indie designers and small stores. It’s quite disheartening to hear, because one of the best things about indie is the sense that you are helping an artist out. To find out that some artists are too lazy to come up with their own ideas is more or less disgusting to me.
Here’s one designers story. She used to sell to a store, who then began totally copying her designs.
This etsy seller found others who were using the same cute monster design that she’s been selling for years.
David Goldman is getting a little too well-known for his practice of ripping off indie artists and Threadless tees.
Be on the lookout and be a good consumer. If you spot a design eerily similar to something you’ve seen before, ask. An indie designer should be more than happy to talk about their designs with customers.
Tags: design copyright, newsRelated Stories
POSTED IN: gossip
3 opinions for news: now indies are getting ripped off
Tiffany
Jul 16, 2008 at 10:00 am
Pretty despicable!
JMac
Jul 16, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Hello! Thanks for writing this story and I’m sure we’re not the only ones this has happened to. The only way to make it right is to spread the word, so again, thanks. I will say though, that I had my own website for years before Etsy came along, selling the monster shirts the old-fashioned way. Etsy makes it easy for this kind of thing to happen (no offense because 99% of Etsy folks are amazing, it’s that 1% of non-creative ridiculous sorts who see an opportunity and seize it…can’t blame them, really, when Etsy makes it so darn easy and has no policy on such matters).
Thanks again.
Kim
Jul 16, 2008 at 6:13 pm
It is a terrible affair and I’m glad to help in any way I can JMac.
I think Etsy has certainly taken the indie world by storm, for better and worse. I had no idea they had no policy on this kind of stuff, that’s really disappointing.
I hope if all works you for you, let us know what happens!
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