The Final Blow to Handmade!

[#1]

I do believe these congress / government people absolutely DO NOT care how many people are put out of business or loose their jobs. Soon there will be nothing produced in the USA???

First the CPSIA NOW this.

Design Piracy Prohibition Act
Read article here http://bit.ly/1186IQ

[PincushionCrazy]

The thing that worries me the most about this is the very real possibility that big business will "steal" ideas from small businesses (like etsy shops) and then claim the ideas as their own.

It wouldn't surprise me if they then defended "their designs" to the death...and you know you'll be the dead one.

I believe this is a real possibility. In the past crafters went to commercial pattern companies for their ideas and projects but more and more I see the reverse happening. It's the little guy who is driving the market and the big companies don't like it one bit.

I hope I'm over-reacting...but

[improvised]

It totally bites.

[Former_Member]

MitsuyoDay, I agree with you. I probably will have to stop making my baby/kids items.

I read the petition & signed it. It's unbelievable that this bill is even being considered. Total ignorance of the design process in the clothing industry. There is nothing new. If they did any research they would find every design has been done before in some way. I worked in the industry & saw that on a daily basis. This happens in many industries. Bill Gates copied Steve Jobs years ago to create the systems for what became Microsoft.

All these laws seem to do is put American craftspeople & small businesses out in favor of big business. We've already lost most fabric manufacturing in this country. I have a friend working for a company with one of the last (if not the last) furniture fabric mills in this country & that was almost lost a couple of months ago.

Somehow we have to keep fighting for our right to stay in business.
RHR

[Former_Member]

This is in the U.S. isn't it? I live in Ontario CANADA. I am a crafter as well as an author, and to my understanding, here,in Canada as soon as a singing, an artist, or a writer completes their master pieces, be it crafting, songwriting, or whatever it is theirs and theirs a lone and they have all the rights. But it is a good idea to make a document like I did with my novel, as well as my crafts to put your name and date on them as proof and if you can afford it get them copyrights as soon as possible. I'm not up to date on all laws in Canada, only the ones pertaining to me. I also go to all the thrift stores, and we have a Value Village here and the prices are awesome. I buy all the jewelery at terrific prices,take them apart and make them new and mine. I do the same with fabrics. I thought I would share my ideas maybe help someone out.
Wyllow from WWyllowscreations.

[SparxsDesigns]

When will this stop?

[Former_Member]

Pobably never if it remains a troubling issue or made a law.
Wyllow

[Former_Member]

We might be freer in Siberia!

[Former_Member]

If I remember that far back in time, DeMint was one of the few trying to work on fixing the CPSIA as written.

Come the next election day here (Maryland, USA), I'll be making some noise at my polling place about one of my State senators who not only replied to my protest letter by sending me a form letter THANKING me for SUPPORTING the CPSIA, but replying to EACH and EVERY ONE of my follow-up letters with THE SAME FORM LETTER!!!

Philosophically, I count myself as liberal, but politically, the Democrats are losing my support big-time. :-(

[nothingcantopit]

Wow, how exciting! Only independent millionaires will be able to produce handmade goods these days. Time to get prepaid legal insurance!

[Former_Member]

This posting reminded me of an item I came across on etsy... after the description the person said that everything, including the description, was copyrighted. It just struck me as interesting in that there are only so many ways to describe the type of item she was selling. And obviously nobody should copy word for word what anyone says, but does that mean she expects people not to use any of the same descriptives she used? Seems slightly extreme.

I definitely agree that this could run small businesses in this industry into the ground and that would just be a travesty.

[Former_Member]

marking

[Former_Member]

Maybe big [design] business is getting nervous because they know most of their [good] ideas come [and have come], with a few exceptions - from the little guys anyway .. peep .. and no way to reverse accountify that. IE: with the advent of Etsy, Zibbet, ArtFire etc. - handmade is currently becoming a real bonifide purchase option for buyers in this country [including ourselves: we can buy one from another] heh - big designers aren't really included in that. Perhaps we should reverse accountify that bill, and legally require big designers to stop snooping our ideas. Think about it - how many times have you seen a vintage ensemble idea, or clever pattern end up in the mall shops with a big name tag on it. I get so tired of it all. I signed the petition. Hang n there girls [and boys] -we're challenging the big cheese.

[Former_Member]

I signed, I'm furious over this.

[petitpoix]

This is the ultimate, quintecential "He´s copying Me!" whine.

[petitpoix]

But how far are they going to go really. I mean I AM against COUNTERFEIT goods. For example sneakers made exactly like Nike including a FAKE Nike label and then selling it for 3 times less. But for example if I design a pair of pants that looks similar to what the big designers are making, because that is after all what is in style, but add my own touches and my own label. Will they come after me for that?

[petitpoix]

Because there are really just so many shapes in basic clothing.

[Former_Member]

Ah yes...let's get the government running THIS TOO. Criminy...can we be trusted with ANYTHING on our own anymore??

Good luck to everyone here...your shops are fabulous, and you are amazingly talented. Don't get discouraged!

[Former_Member]

The big ones are going to eat the little ones! The government is run by corporations not the people.I personally have given up on the idea we have the power to change them. We will just have to live around the elephant.

[Former_Member]

Just read and signed. This government's knee jerk reaction to "product safety" is nothing new. Sadly the country has always been heavily influenced by lawyers and big business. Lawyers feed off from mindless law suits that common sense should prevent. People need to stop looking for someone to sue every time they neglect to read a label! Big business will always try to up the stakes in the marketplace to squeeze out the little guy. The petition is a step in the right direction for us little guys!
Thank you

[Former_Member]

signed...thanks for link to petition indiscretion!!

[PhilosophersStone]

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/should-fashion-be-protected-by-copyright-laws-a-gue...

Should Fashion be Protected by Copyright Laws? A Guest Post

[Former_Member]

I didn't read all these pages but since the Democratic party is "owned" by the lawyers, nothing will change 'til the Dems are out of power. That might be Nov. 2.
I stopped making anything for children. My designs have always been my own & childens items were just a sideline.
This is all just so wrong though!
Going to find that petition!
Helene

[Former_Member]

TheHumbleSeamstress says:
I didn't read all these pages but since the Democratic party is "owned" by the lawyers, nothing will change 'til the Dems are out of power. That might be Nov. 2.
I stopped making anything for children. My designs have always been my own & childens items were just a sideline.
This is all just so wrong though!
Going to find that petition!
Helene
--------------------------

I hate to break it to you but, both sides of the aisle are guilty of this, not just the democrats.

[Former_Member]

for those who thinks that this bill will help to protect those small time designer, think again.

paris hitton had her name copyright.
an american had yoga copyright. but for god's sake yoga originated from india. it is a part of their culture for at least 3000 yrs.

in 2day's world, $ talks...

i had my ideas copy b4 but what can i do, nothing...
small people like us do not have the means to fight a lawsuit which is expensive...we are only trying to find a way to make a living here.

i don't live in the states but i feel 4 u guys, the tentacles of this bill is long & have far reaching consequences...

i have recently put on sale this new range of pendants that i did with a new technique that i spent 1.5 yrs to prefect. wonder when china will start copying them? can i start suing them then..? the ans is no... no means...no $.. that is the harsh reality...

but to every1, no matter who copy who.. i believe it is the quality of ur works that counts..

sorry, if i seem to go a bit off topic here...

[Former_Member]

Soon they'll be saying it is copyright infringement to make a 'dress' as 'dresses' were made before. Make a pair of denim pants and you'll end up in jail... Don't get jewelry makers in on this, or a diamond set on a band, or beads strung on a wire will be illegal as well.