2023 first gave us the The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and crafters went wild creating and listing Mario themed products on social media, their websites, and online marketplaces. Now, 2023 has given us Barbie. (Side note: It’s a cute movie – but not as family friendly as I expected. It’s worth putting on a cute …
Copyright and Trademarks
With the launch of The Super Mario Brothers Movie recently, I thought it would be a great time to talk about making and selling Super Mario Brothers products in your craft business. Can You Legally Make and Sell Super Mario Brothers Products? You cannot make and sell Super Mario Brothers products without a license/permission from …
With the start of summer Olympics on July 26, I figured I’d share some information about Olympic trademarks for crafters. Can Crafters Make Olympic Themed Products & Sell Them? Put simply: No. The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has various trademarks covering everything related to the Olympics. In the Brand Usage Guidelines, they provide a …
Did you know that if you are selling something with a military logo, military name, or military insignia you must get a license to do so? Today, we are going to look at the trademark concerns and licensing requirements for each of the five US military branches. What Does the Military Have Trademarked? The military branches collectively …
Recently, Spotify products have become hot sellers in the handmade craft market. As always, my first thoughts were about the legality of making and selling products using screenshots of Spotify, Spotify codes, or the Spotify logo. I reached out to Spotify for an official statement after hearing rumors that Spotify was having infringing products removed …
With Christmas coming, I know that so many craft businesses are currently working on holiday products. Today is a great day to talk about making handmade products related to Dr. Seuss and his characters; like the Grinch, the Lorax, Cindy Lou Who, Thing One and Thing Two, Sam-I-Am, and many more. Can You Make and …
I spend a lot of time on Cutting for Business telling crafters what they can’t make due to trademark and copyright issues. Today, I’m spending a few minutes telling you want you can use in your crafts for sale. Specifically, let’s talk about public domain Christmas songs. When copyrights expire, they enter the public domain. …
It’s pretty common for Silhouette and Cricut small business owners to design and sell customers unique, one-of-a-kind products. Many times, the design you create is based on the idea of the customer. After you send the finished product – who owns the rights to the design based on your customer’s idea: You as the maker …
I’ve noticed a lot of Silhouette and Cricut business owners using Bitmoji Avatars in their business logos, social media profile pictures, and advertising materials. I’ve had an uneasy feeling about the legalities of doing this, so I set off to do some research. What is a Bitmoji Avatar? Before I share my findings – and …