Why We Don't Print Everything: Understanding Copyrights, Trademarks, and Licensed Artwork

Some of the questions we occasionally get are:

"Why won't you print this design? It's just for my group."

or

"Can you print me a custom Bluey t-shirt for my kid's birthday?"

The answer is simple: We can't, because we want to respect the creators, artists, brands, and organizations that own their work.

At Marin's Custom Apparel, we're in the biz in helping people create awesome custom apparel while also doing things the right way. That means there are certain designs, logos, fonts, and images we may not be able to print without proper permission.

What's the Difference Between Copyright and Trademark?

Copyright

Copyright protects creative works such as:

• Artwork

• Illustrations

• Photographs

• Characters

• Music

• Movies

• Books

• Graphic designs

For example, artwork featuring Mickey Mouse, Bluey, Marvel superheroes, sports teams, or a design you found on Google is usually protected by copyright.

Just because an image can be found online does not mean it is free to use.

Trademark

Trademark protects things that identify a brand, company, organization, or product.

This includes:

• Logos

• Brand names

• Slogans

• Certain symbols and designs

Examples include:

• Nike's swoosh

• Disney logos

• School and university logos

• Professional sports team logos

• Automotive brands such as BMW, Ford, or Chevrolet

Even if someone is not selling the design, using a trademark without authorization can still create legal issues.

What We Can Print

We are happy to print:

• Original artwork you created

• Designs created specifically for your organization

• Artwork you purchased with commercial usage rights

• Logos owned by your business or organization

• Artwork accompanied by written permission from the owner

• Designs we create in-house

  
  

If you're unsure whether you have the rights to use a design, just ask. We're happy to help point you in the right direction.

What We Typically Cannot Print

While every situation is different, we may decline orders involving:

• Copyrighted characters (Mickey Mouse, Bluey, K-Pop Demon Hunters, etc.)

• Movie or television artwork

• Professional sports team logos (Dodgers, Lakers, Greenbay Packers)

• College or university logos without authorization

• Corporate logos without permission

• Artwork copied from another artist

• Images downloaded from Google without licensing

Why This Matters

As a small business, we understand how much time and creativity go into creating something original. Artists deserve to be credited for their work. Businesses invest heavily in building their brands. Organizations work hard to establish their identities. Respecting those rights helps create a healthier creative community for everyone.

We know it can feel harmless when you're ordering shirts for:

• A family vacation

• A birthday party

• A sports team

• A school event

• A business gathering

However, ownership rights still exist regardless of the reason or size of the order.

Most of the time, people aren't trying to do anything wrong—they simply don't know that a logo, character, image, or design may be protected.

At the same time, it's important for us to operate responsibly.

As a small business, we have a responsibility to protect the company we've worked hard to build. If we knowingly ignore copyright or trademark laws, we risk legal issues that could affect our ability to continue serving our customers and community.

Marin's Custom Apparel exists to help schools, teams, businesses, organizations, families, and event coordinators bring people together through custom apparel. In order to keep doing that for years to come, we have to make decisions that protect both our customers and our business.

By respecting intellectual property rights, we're helping ensure that we can continue creating apparel, supporting local organizations, and serving our community for the long haul.

Our Commitment

We get it can be confusing, and we've been confused a couple times, too, but as we have learned more about this, we don't see this policy as a limitation.

We see it as an opportunity to create something unique for you. Instead of recreating someone else's design completely, we'd rather help you develop artwork that represents your group, your event, your team, or your organization in a way that's completely your own.

The result is often something far more meaningful.

If you're unsure whether your artwork can be printed, send it over. We'll do our best to help you understand your options and find a solution that works.

Please keep in mind that the customer is ultimately responsible for ensuring they have rights/authorization to reproduce submitted artwork and trademarks.