ab3204f9f1
The replaces the NextJS site powering FreeSewing.dev with a Docusaurus setup. It's part of my efforts to simplify FreeSewing's setup so we can focus on our core value proposition.
80 lines
3 KiB
Text
80 lines
3 KiB
Text
---
|
|
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)
|