Licensed fabrics that have favorite TV and movie characters on them are quite popular especially with children. I often receive requests to make ponchos or bibs using licensed fabrics from Disney, John Deere, NFL teams and other companies.

The Facts About Licensed Fabrics:

If you’ve ever bought licensed fabrics, you may have noticed that the selvage (edge) of the fabric is usually printed with these words: “For home use only. Not intended for commercial use”.

That warning means just what it says. Those characters, phrases, and even color combinations may have been copyrighted by the original owner. Using those words or images for business gain is not legal. Some small business owners believe that a multi-million dollar corporation is not going to concern themselves with a small business’s infringement of their intellectual property.

The truth is that Disney, Marvel, and other companies HAVE filed suits against small business owners who have used their images, color combinations, and copyrighted phrases without first purchasing a license to do so.

My Policy:

I have chosen not to sell items made from licensed fabrics. It is so tempting to bend the rules to make a poncho with Ana and Elsa, Minions, or Minnie Mouse fabric. But the bottom line is that I am not willing to jeopardize my business by infringing on the rights of other businesses.

It is perfectly legal to make gifts, donations, and personal items with licensed fabrics. It is also legal to make items from licensed fabrics if my customer purchases the fabric and delivers it to me. In that case, I’m performing a service, not selling a product.

Just this morning, I made this Paw Patrol bib for my sister’s granddaughter. While I was happy to indulge little Brinley’s obsession with Paw Patrol characters, I can guarantee that you will never see licensed fabrics in my Etsy shop or in my Facebook group. I’m playing it safe with my business, and I trust that my customers will understand my reasons for that.

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Bibs. Either you like them or you don’t. I know some moms who never use bibs on their kids. Yet other moms won’t allow their kids to eat a meal or a snack without a bib to protect their clothing from stains.

Three reasons why bibs are a necessary part of your child’s wardrobe:

Bibs save you time.

Foods like peaches, apples, and chocolate can permanently stain fabrics. The best way to prevent these and other foods from landing on your kid’s clothing is to use a bib that covers all or most of his shirt. Granted, it can take a few seconds to tie a bib on your hungry little one. It can, however, take much longer to treat stains before laundering clothing. It can take hours to work long enough to buy new clothes to replace the ones that are ruined by food stains.

Bibs keep your kids comfortable.

Soggy clothing is not comfortable! Would you want to spend the afternoon wearing a wet, sticky shirt? I know I wouldn’t want to! Yet, I’ve seen plenty of kids walking around with shirts that are soaked with drool or milk or juice or food. Yuck!

Tie a bib on your little one before she starts to eat or drink to save her the aggravation of a soggy shirt.

Bibs are cute!

Bibs come in all shapes and sizes with all kinds of pictures and cute sayings on them. Some bibs, like the ones I sell in my Etsy shop, are cute enough to be considered clothing. These bibs offer your child full coverage to protect the entire front of his shirt. They also tie in the back which not only looks cute, but also keeps little ones from removing the bib before meal time is over. My bibs are made in cute cotton prints that wash and wear well. They come in two different sizes, and the largest size can be worn for years! I know four-year-olds who are still wearing theirs.

If you’ve got young children or grandchildren, I urge you to make a habit of tying on a bib at mealtimes. You’ll be surprised how much better your child will look and feel with clothes that are clean and dry! You’ll feel better, too, knowing you are protecting your clothing investment from unsightly stains!

What’s your opinion on bibs and kids?

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Licensed Fabrics Are Off Limits for My Business