Disney's Intellectual Property Rights They own the rights to many popular characters and stories, and they do not hesitate to protect those rights. This means that if you are selling items on Etsy that feature Disney characters or other copyrighted material, you could be at risk of legal action from Disney.

Can you sell items on Etsy with Disney characters?

Yes, shops are not allowed to sell items based on Disney or other copyrighted characters. Etsy does not police this though, unless the copyright holder complains. Those shops are however taking a big risk as Etsy could completely shut down their shop and/or the copyright holder cold file a lawsuit.

Can you sell shirts with Disney characters?

If you're planning on selling Disney products or characters, you must obtain an official license from the Walt Disney Company. This means that your product must be expressly authorized by the company to be sold legally; without this authorization, you may face hefty fines and other legal consequences.

Are Disney characters copyrighted?

Disney is known for being very protective of their intellectual property, including their copyrighted characters, logos, and designs. If someone uses their copyrighted material without permission, it could be considered copyright infringement and result in legal action.

How do sellers on Etsy avoid copyright infringement?

Don't Copy Another Seller's Listing Information

Create your own unique and original product descriptions when you add products to your store to avoid receiving a copyright infringement notice from Etsy. You're free to take inspiration from other Etsy shops.

5 Shirts NOT To Sell In Your Etsy Store - Print On Demand 2023 Trademarks and Copyright Infringement

Can I sell something made with Disney fabric?

The fabric is licensed TO YOU for your own personal use. It's not licensed so you can make products and sell them to others COMMERCIALLY. The restriction for PERSONAL USE ONLY is on the fabric's package, and if you buy it, you're agreeing...

Can I sell Marvel stuff on Etsy?

Some common examples of trademark infringement on Etsy are related to these franchises: Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Pokémon, Game of Thrones, Nintendo, Yeti, World of Warcraft, etc. You cannot sell products with any name associated with these franchises without first arranging specific paid licensing.

Can you use Disney characters on clothing?

Fan art and merchandise: Creating and selling fan art or merchandise featuring Disney characters without proper licensing can be considered copyright infringement. While fan art for personal use is generally acceptable, selling products with copyrighted characters can lead to legal issues.

What Disney characters are copyright free?

How do I get permission to use Disney characters?

You may receive permission from Disney by email or mail. If you or your company wants to use Disney characters on a long-term basis, Disney might require a licensing agreement, which involves the payment for the rights to use the characters. Disney can also decline to give permission for the use of its characters.

Can I sell t-shirts with cartoon characters?

When creating a t-shirt design, you cannot use images, characters, and any figure that resembles anything taken from comic books, cartoon networks, movies, video games, and television shows.

Can I sell a shirt with Mickey Mouse on it?

Unless the t-shirt make obtained a license to do so from The Walt Disney Company, it is copyright and/or trademark infringement to sell Mickey Mouse t-shirts. They are not allowed to do so, and people do it anyway risk the chance of being sued.

Can you sell handmade items with licensed characters?

As a general rule, you shouldn't sell crafts with any character, image or logo that's not your own.

Can you sell handmade Mickey ears on Etsy?

While it is possible to sell Mickey Mouse ears on Etsy, it is important to be aware of copyright and trademark laws to avoid infringing on Disney's intellectual property. Disney owns the trademark rights to the Mickey Mouse character and related merchandise, including Mickey Mouse ears.

Can I sell something with a cartoon character on it?

Any trademark or copyrighted character is not fair game, but some people get away with it for a long time and then some of them get in big trouble, at the very least get a cease and desist order at worst get taken to court and sued for damages.

Can I sell pictures of Disney characters?

Right of Resale

Copyright and trademark law says that you can't make Disney items without a license. However, buying items, then reselling them is legal under the first-sale doctrine – you don't need anyone's permission.

What characters is Disney losing rights to?

According to US copyright law, the rights for a character expire 95 years after the publication of the original work. Disney will lose the Mickey Mouse copyright for Steamboat Willie in 2024, since the short animated film was produced and distributed in 1928.

Is The Little Mermaid in the public domain?

The original Little Mermaid story or 'Den lille havfrue' was published in 1837 and has long since been in the public domain. In 1989 Disney Studios took advantage of the fact that this literary work was in the public domain and released their animated movie.

Will Disney lose copyright to Mickey Mouse?

The copyright of the original Mickey Mouse character – as it appeared in “Steamboat Willie” – expires on January 1, 2024.

How much does it cost to license a Disney character?

From what I have read the licenses start at around $10,000 for each item you want to make, plus a percentage of each sale.

How do I contact Disney copyright infringement?

To report and provide information about a suspected infringement, please contact the anti-piracy team via the following: Email: [email protected]. Voicemail: 818-560-3300.

Can I sell vintage Disney items on Etsy?

Disney has a long list of protected characters, including Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, and Buzz Lightyear, among others. If you're caught selling products featuring Disney's copyrighted characters without permission, you could face legal action, fines, and even the closure of your Etsy shop.

Can I put Spiderman on a shirt and sell it?

Is it against copyright to draw/paint characters from well known comics and cartoons (Spiderman, Batman, Hulk etc) and sell them printed on t-shirts? Yes, this is illegal if you don't have a license to make merchandise with the companies that own these characters (both trademark and copyright).

How many infringements can you get on Etsy?

Unfortunately, Etsy doesn't have a set policy on how many copyright infringement notices a seller can receive before their shop is shut down.