Tips for registering designs on t-shirts

Designers who work on creating T-shirts often lose part of their profits because they do not know how to protect their work. Therefore, it is essential that as a designer you make sure you receive the reward that corresponds to your effort registering of designs on t-shirts.

Designers are often afraid of someone else copying their designs. If this happens, it will be important that you can prove that you are the author. Whether the work registers or not, you have the rights to it. Here are some important tips for effective T-shirt design registration.

Copyright for registering designs on t-shirts

The word copyright is the legal term that refers to the copyright of creators of literary and artistic works. It is important to know that at the same time that a work is conceived, the rights for that author are born.

Therefore, as a designer you should know what are the effective options you have to protect your designs. Thus, recognize the use of Intellectual property to distinguish when you must protect a work.

Registering designs for t-shirt according the types

The first step is to show that you are the one who made the design and prove the date it was created. In that case you have the following options for registering designs on t-shirts:

Perform the Intellectual Property Registry

This is proof of the creation date. However, it is not a protection for the reproduction of your design.

Make an Industrial Property Registry

It is a greater protection than the previous one, since it gives exclusivity to the product being used in the market, preventing similar representations from other people. When you go by way of industrial property there is the possibility of being able to obtain an economic profit.

Options to record the date of designs on t-shirts

The first option is to prove the authorship that the intellectual property registry gives you. But you can also go before a notary with the date of the design of the personalized shirt and he will be in charge of accrediting it.

In addition, there is the option of sending the design to a seal with a certificate or resorting to other services that, although they are private, take care of these matters. They are valid before the law and prove your authorship on that design.

Tips to follow if the authorship someone plagiarizes your design

In some cases, very similar works can be created by pure coincidence, therefore, you need to have proof to prove that you are the author. Here are some tips in this regard:

• When you are going to show a design to someone without being registered, make sure that this person signs an acknowledgment of confidentiality.
• If a work is copied and it is being exploited, you must initiate legal proceedings. However, this is generally a complex procedure, which requires the cessation of use of the work through precautionary measures. It is also usually very expensive.

Trademark registration to protect designs on t-shirts

First of all, you can prove authorship at a Copyright Office, which is usually very cheap. It is also important to do the following:

• You can register several designs for a cost that is not that high, but you also have the option of registering only those that you think are not so expensive.
• When you have a T-shirt company the company name is immediately registered as a trademark. And this brand can go on the label.
• If it is the case that a design is going to be altered or alternated with others, then it is not necessary to register it as a trademark but rather as an industrial design.

Copyrights for well-known characters

Most of the characters in movies or comics are registered as an industrial property mark. In this case, if these figures are used, trademarks are being infringed. A T-shirt designer cannot profit from someone else’s image without their permission.

This applies to both fictional and real characters, even if this involves a more pictorial representation, this could at some point be a problem. These subjective cases where character silhouettes are used are unfair competition.

Funny t-shirts from established brands

Many designers have wondered if by making a joke using a brand image, they are confusing their audience. The answer is that many times people recognize that it is simply a joke. And that they are only taking advantage of the prestige that that brand has but there is no infringement.

It is very important that you are aware of the steps to follow in order to protect your t-shirt designs, so keep the following aspects in mind:

• When we talk about intellectual property, it is a record with a date that proves that you are the creator of the work, however, it does not protect you against exploitation or plagiarism that may exist in the market.
• The registration of intellectual property does in the Copyright Offices. Also by a notary’s office, by witnesses or by private companies.
• Make an industrial registry if you want to obtain better benefits, for a good price and with no difficulty.

At Camisetas Floridas we have excellent designers who create original works of personalized t-shirts. They could help you create unique and authentic designs made exclusively for you, adapting to your demands and requirements.