---
title: Can I copy an existing design?
---

This question comes up in various forms, but it boils down to: How much am I
allowed to copy from, or be inspired by, an existing product when designing
patterns.

First and foremost -- and this should go without saying -- this is not legal
advice.  And while we're at it, please forget the idea that there is some sort
of basic set of legal rules that governs this.  What is acceptable and what is
not -- in the eyes of the law -- varies based on where you live.  So while it's
fun for legal scholars, it's not that useful of a debate to have inside our
community.

Instead, your guiding principle should be: **Don't be a dick**.

So while we're not in the business of telling people what to do, when it comes to
contributing to FreeSewing, here are some practical examples:

## Do you accept contributions that are a copy of a commercial pattern?

Absolutely not.

Copying a commercial pattern is obviously a dick move, and we won't accept any
contribution if we know it was ripped from a commercial pattern.

You are directly undercutting the original designer. And regardless of whether
that's an indie designer who might be depending on the sales of their pattern
to put food on the table or some big pattern company that you feel should be
taken down a notch: It doesn't matter. Not cool. Don't do this.

## Do you accept contributions that are a copy of an existing garment?

Yes.

Do you own something you really love or saw something on the runway that has
you swooning? Go ahead and (try to) replicate that look in a pattern you design
yourself. It's fair game; it's how the fashion industry operates.

One could argue that it is probably impossible to come up with a design that is
not -- to some extent -- influenced by things we've seen before.

:::note
### Don't pretend trademarks don't exist

This should go without saying, but this does not mean you can put "*Gucci*" (or
whatever) on your design.

:::

## Do you accept contributions that are based on instructions in a book?

It depends.

### Is the purpose of the book to provide blueprints for garments?

In this case: back off.  By providing the pattern for free, you are clearly
undercutting the original author and their business model.

An examples would be [Müller & Sohn](https://www.muellerundsohn.com/).

### Is the purpose of the book to teach you?

In this case: go ahead.  You can use what you've learned in the book to create
your own designs. That does not undercut the original author as people buying
these books want to learn about pattern design. They are not looking for the
end product.

Examples would be:

 - [How Patterns Work by
   Assembil](https://www.assembil.com/how-patterns-work-book/) (an excellent
   resource)
 - [Shirtmaking by David Page
   Coffin](https://www.amazon.com/Shirtmaking-Developing-Skills-Fine-Sewing-ebook/dp/B00243GMOO)
   (who was a friend of FreeSewing and is sorely missed 💔 )
 - [Patternmaking for Menswear by Gareth
   Kershaw](https://www.laurenceking.com/products/pattern-cutting-for-menswear) (another
   good resource)
