What to Do if You See a Large Business Copying Your Design
Whether you’re a fashion designer or painter, you make ceramics; well, if you’re a creator, then you understand the sheer amount of pride and joy you have once you’re finished with your creation. Your work is your baby; it’s everything to you, and you want to do what you can to protect it, right? Just think about it: your creations are more than just products—they’re a reflection of your passion, creativity, and hard work. You put in a little piece of you every time you make a creation.
When it comes to managing a small business like this, there needs to be that creativity, that love, and yes, that passion, too. So, when you discover that a large business has copied your design, it can be incredibly disheartening and frustrating. Actually, that doesn’t even remotely describe the feeling either, right? In a way, there’s a betrayal that’s happening to you.
The Common Struggle of Small Creators
You don’t deserve this; you’re original! Unfortunately, this struggle is all too common in the fashion industry, where smaller brands often find their unique designs being replicated by bigger companies. Again, it’s not even just fashion brands that are having to deal with this either, but a lot of painters and other types of creators are having to deal with this exact thing too.
Nowadays, it just seems like a harsh reality that the little guy (or woman) has the reality, while the larger companies just take everything from you without your credit, money, no apology, just nothing at all. But don’t despair. You don’t have to feel stuck in this; honestly, there is a way out. You deserve to have your work kept and no one to copy you, especially massive businesses. So, with that all said, here are some steps you can take if you find yourself in this situation.
Gather What You Can
For starters, finding out that your design has been copied can evoke a whirlwind of emotions—from anger to sadness and everything in between. So, just give yourself a moment to process these feelings before taking any action. Just feel what you have to feel; it’s entirely understandable once you’ve had a chance to gather your thoughts and assess the situation calmly.
This means that you’ll want to go ahead and look closely at the copied design and document everything. But on top of that it’s going to also mean that you should take screenshots, save webpages, and gather any other evidence that clearly shows the similarities between your original work and the alleged copy.
Check Legal Protections
If you haven’t already, consider seeking advice on intellectual property protections such as copyrights, trademarks, or design patents from a reliable law firm within your area. In the UK, Design Rights automatically protects your designs for up to 3 years, while Registered Designs can offer more robust protection for longer. So changes are pretty high that you have a means to take action, but get a lawyer on your side first so they can tell you what rights you have within your business that can be protected.
Reach Out to the Business
Sometimes, larger companies might not even be aware that they are infringing on someone’s design, and a direct approach can resolve the issue without further conflict (as they get designs through outsourcing), so maybe it’s a mistake, maybe no, but try and reach out.
