Dealing with Design Theft
This week, I discovered that one of my designs, Sitting Cat Mug, had been copied and was being sold on a popular online platform. This was a shock and quite a disheartening experience, but it also served as a reminder of the challenges faced by many creatives in protecting their intellectual property.
Thankfully, after a polite but firm letter, I was able to have the listing removed from the platform. I got lucky here as this is not always the case.
Many designers, artists and makers struggle to combat copies of their work and copyright infringement. A lot of them end up with huge legal bills and emotionally draining chapters in their lives trying to get justice for their hard work.
To better safeguard my designs, I've decided to join Anti-Copying in Design (ACID). I'll share more about this organisation and its resources in a future blog post.
My designs are really unique and I've spent the last 11 years working really hard to bring out new and original creations. They are very special to me and I know they are to those who enjoy them in their home.
I had a tremendously positive response on social media from people who were so supportive and encouraging when I shared what had happened. It was really lovely to read and made me realise how much they also value original work and the people that bring it to them.
I've learnt a couple of valuable lessons from this. First, I need to be more vigilant in monitoring online marketplaces for potential infringements. Second, I need to have a reliable copyright lawyer on hand. And third, the best defence against being copied is to keep creating original work. By consistently producing unique designs, you're essentially staying one step ahead of those who might attempt to copy your work. Watch this space!
Want the original Sitting Cat Mug? You can find it here:
Sitting Cat Mug by Jin Designs
