Can I Sell Disney-themed Handmade Items on Etsy? This is explicitly illegal. While you may find thousands of stores on Etsy selling handmade Disney products, this isn't legal, unless they have a specific license.

Has Disney sued Etsy sellers?

"Disney has filed a lawsuit against a Florida business for alleged trademark and copyright infringement for selling mouse ears and other Disney-themed items on Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and a direct website. Disney Enterprises and Lucasfilm LTD.

Is it illegal to resell Disney items?

Certain laws, i.e., copyright and trademark laws, explicitly state that you cannot make copyrighted and trademarked property, i.e., Disney items, without a license. However, the first sale doctrine states that once you buy an item, you are free to resell the item without the copyright owner's permission.

How do I avoid copyright infringement on Etsy Disney?

1 – Don't use copyrighted logos

Don't incorporate a team or company logos into your work. This means handmade items that incorporate a Disney logo, LA Lakers logo, a Starbucks logo, etc. or something that closely resembles them, are infringing on intellectual property rights.

Can you get in trouble for selling Disney stuff on Etsy?

While you may find thousands of stores on Etsy selling handmade Disney products, this isn't legal, unless they have a specific license. There have been instances where Disney has gone after sellers and gotten their stores shut down completely by Etsy.

How To Sell Trademark Infringing Disney Products On Etsy

Can you be sued for copyright infringement on Etsy?

While anyone can initiate a lawsuit, it may be difficult to sue an Etsy Seller. First, the lawsuit may not be profitable. In a standard copyright infringement lawsuit, the copyright holder can only receive the profit from the sales made by the seller.

Can I put Mickey Mouse on a shirt and sell it?

Trademark protections last as long as Disney continues to use Mickey Mouse as a brand. If anyone uses the Mickey Mouse imagery in a way that people will think of Disney, that may constitute trademark infringement.

Can I print Disney characters and sell them?

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.

How do I get copyright permission for Disney?

These requests are handled by the Disney Legal Department on behalf of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Inquiries are processed in the order in which they are received. Due to the high volume of requests we receive, it can take up to eight (8) weeks before receiving a response.

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.

Is Disney cracking down on resellers?

Disney clearly states in the pass holder terms that “benefits and discounts are for personal use only and may not be used for any commercial purpose including, without limitation, to obtain or purchase items or services with the intent to resell such items or services.”

What is an example of copyright infringement with Disney?

Some common examples of Disney copyright infringement include: Fan art and merchandise: Creating and selling fan art or merchandise featuring Disney characters without proper licensing can be considered copyright infringement.

Are you allowed to make your own Disney shirts?

Lots of people make custom Disney outfits for their children or their whole family to wear when they visit the parks, and Walt Disney World does not prohibit guests from wearing homemade Disney-themed clothing.

Is it legal to make your own Disney shirt?

As answered above, you will need copyright license from Disney, at least. Also, if you also put the word "Disney" or the character's name with the image (a lot of Disney's graphics having such texts with the image), you will also need trademark license. You may consider hiring an attorney to help you.

Do I need a license to sell shirts on Etsy?

Etsy's seller policies do not require you to have a business license to sell on their platform. However, the inquiry doesn't end there. A seller of goods on Etsy may need a license or permit from municipal, county, state, or federal agencies regulating businesses. Your Etsy shop is either a business or a hobby.

Can I print Disney characters on tshirt?

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 Marvel products 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 I crochet Disney characters and sell them?

Designing and Selling Copyrighted Products

Don't do it. (Caveat: it's OK to design a Disney character pattern for personal use. It's not OK to profit from it) Additionally, if you purchase a licensed pattern…you've seen them at Barnes and Noble, right, the mini Star Wars patterns and such…

How do you avoid copyright infringement on t-shirts?

Focus On Creating Original Designs From Scratch

The best tip that we can give to limit any designers or business owners from mistaken copyright infringement lawsuits is to create your own t-shirt, plain and simple. Avoid derivative work and make original designs that are unique.

What can I put on a shirt without copyright?

But for a safe answer: you can print anything on a t-shirt that is under public domain without infringing copyright laws. Public domain includes artworks that have expired from their copyright. For example, Vincent Van Gough's Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (1887) was released into the public domain by the met in 2017.

Can I put a cartoon on a shirt and sell it?

Note that you also cannot sell derivative artworks made of copyrighted characters. That means you cannot draw a Mickey Mouse design by yourself and put it on your t-shirt to sell it for profit. Derivative artworks are also considered copyright infringement.

How do Etsy sellers avoid copyright?

Etsy Copyright Infringement: A Summary

Instead of committing intellectual property infringement, create original designs or use licensed content and obtain proper permissions from intellectual property owners before you post third-party designs on your store.

Can I sell Disney inspired products?

While it is possible to sell Disney-inspired items, it is important to make sure that the designs are original and not using copyrighted material. It is also crucial to avoid using any trademarked names or logos in the titles or tags of your listings.

Can you sell Nike on Etsy?

it's not just that they are all over etsy, it is also first sale doctrine. You can sell your nike shoes that you purchased and customized. just can't sell them as new because you are not an authorized distributor.