Selling Jute Bags? Copywrite issues?

antispam246

My other half is interested in selling custom made Jute bags. She's designed a few for friends and they've gone down really well. Now this is obviously a somewhat popular thing to do, with one particular big brand doing it already which is here http://claireabelladesigns.co.uk/boutique/

There are a few other sellers on eBay also doing it. Now I know of someone that tried doing the same, they made some custom bags and tried to sell on eBay but promptly got a letter from another seller on ebay saying they were breaching copywrite because her design was similar. Now from what I've seen I can only assume that the character designs were similar enough to warrant this.

My other half's character designs are COMPLETELY different to anything I've seen anywhere. Infact, I find it weird because every seller, be it from there own website or through eBay all sell very very similar character designs.

Is she going to face any issues here? Her characters are completely different to anyone elses, she draws them from scratch, doesn't copy and she even keeps the character builds sketches as proof (As in, the face starting out as a circle and so forth).

I tried to look up the copywrite issues here but couldn't find anything. Common sense tells me that you can't copywrite the act of drawing something onto a bag and then selling it, am I misguided? Aslong as the characters/drawings themselves are completely different/unique there shouldn't be an issue correct?

Really would appreciate any help here.

Thanks

antispam246

If there's a more appropriate forum for this, please feel free to move it, thanks.

antispam246

Also known as bags for life?

jenniewb

Try ACID, they are a copyright company who help explain things, you can protect yourself and also read up on info. There are of course other places you can ask but from a design point of view ACID have been helpful when I've had questions about things. I think (hope) they're still going, I last used them 8 years ago, excuse me not checking but I have a computer that takes a good 10 minutes to run a search!

antispam246

Thank you, I would assume it's here http://www.acid.uk.com/ ?

I'll check them out.