http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2008/12/02/on-copyrights-and-clothing-patterns/ The small business mentor's guide to entrepreneurship and law Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:32:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2008/12/02/on-copyrights-and-clothing-patterns/comment-page-1/#comment-1831 Becky Jeffrey Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:11:50 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2008/12/02/on-copyrights-and-clothing-patterns/#comment-1831 I'm wondering, though - are there any guidelines to HOW different a self-designed clothing pattern must be from a commercially sold pattern? For instance, if a new business owner is absolutely in love with a commercially-made pattern and decides to use it "as inspiration" (as many internationally-known apparel manufacturers often do)... how much must the pattern be "tweaked" to be considered independent thought and avoid being seen as copyright infringement? How does that difference in "creative originality" compare to the difference required between, say, songs, movies, books, and other original art/craft work being sold for profit? I’m wondering, though – are there any guidelines to HOW different a self-designed clothing pattern must be from a commercially sold pattern? For instance, if a new business owner is absolutely in love with a commercially-made pattern and decides to use it “as inspiration” (as many internationally-known apparel manufacturers often do)… how much must the pattern be “tweaked” to be considered independent thought and avoid being seen as copyright infringement? How does that difference in “creative originality” compare to the difference required between, say, songs, movies, books, and other original art/craft work being sold for profit?

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