Do you know the basics of copyright law when it comes to designing t-shirts? Probably not; after all, it’s not easily apparent until you get hit with a lawsuit. 

In the US, it’s crucial you read up on the Copyright Laws of the United States to get updated information. You need to know copyright details to protect your intellectual property and keep you away from copyright infringements. 

Trademark vs. Copyright

Before we dive into what you can and can’t do for t-shirt designs, it’s essential you know the difference between copyright and trademark. A trademark is a symbol, term, and name of a business. 

On the other hand, copyright is given for original creative works, such as movies, books, paintings, and many more. 

What You Can Do

So, now you’re ready to design your t-shirts; however, you need to ensure you won’t get into any legal trouble. 

Royalty-Free ImageS

Use royalty-free images for any commercial use. Moreover, if you find any image of other things in the public domain with expired property rights, you can use them. 

Quotes from the Public Domain

Thinking of adding quotes to your design? You can quote anything from the public domain. You can also quote authors who have been deceased for more than 70 years. Also, you can use quotes from sayings and parodies. 

National Symbols and Political Figures

Another thing you can do is use national symbols, flags, and likes of political figures because they are not covered under copyright or trademark laws. For parody shirt designs, you can use famous characters commonly recognized by others. 

Free Photos with Attribution

Finally, you can get from sites that offer free photos for commercial use. However, you need to give credit to the image owner. 

What You Can’t Do

Images That Closely Resemble Pop Culture References

There are several things you can’t do when it comes to the copyright law for your t-shirts. When creating a design, you can’t use images, characters, and figures that resemble anything taken from comic books, movies, cartoon networks, video games, and TV shows. 

Logos of Private Institutions 

Second, you shouldn’t use logos, photos of educational institutions, names, organizations, sports teams, artists, etc. Another thing is, you shouldn’t use logos, trademarks, and company names. 

Images of Celebrities

You also shouldn’t use photos, artworks, or caricatures of a celebrity. You also can’t draw a celebrity on your own and use it on a t-shirt. 

Not-for-Commercial-Use Images, Memes, and Images from Social Media

Next, if you find an attractive graphic or image that is not allowed for commercial or free use, don’t use it on your t-shirt design. You should also stay away from internet memes or viral videos, as well as images or graphics you see on social media and search engines. 

Quotes from Recent Authors

Finally, when adding quotes on your shirt design, don’t quote anything from an author who is still alive, as well as authors who have passed away less than 70 years ago. 

Protect Yourself From Copyright Issues

Copyrights have been used to protect intellectual property since the first recorded copyright. Copyrights are now an important part of business and creativity, and designing t-shirts is no exception. So don’t just mindlessly design t-shirts for commercial use; be more aware and informed so you won’t be violating any laws, even in good faith.

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