Design Guidelines
Before placing your order, please read this carefully.
We take copyright, image rights, and trademark protection seriously.
Our aim is to help you create unique, original designs while ensuring compliance with intellectual property laws.
Please review the guidelines below to avoid any potential copyright infringement.
No Third-Party Artwork
We cannot accept orders that use someone else's artwork without permission. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Anime or manga characters
• Celebrity photos
• Company logos or trademarks
Using these materials without proper authorisation could lead to copyright infringement issues.
Original Designs Are Welcome
You are welcome to submit designs that are your own original work. This includes:
• Original illustrations or personal logos that you've created.
• Personal photos that you have taken yourself, provided they don't violate others' rights.
However, copying or closely resembling existing characters or other copyrighted works is strictly prohibited.
Personal Use vs. Commercial Use
The "personal use" exception only applies if the design is your own original work. If a business or third party created the design, it falls outside of "personal use" and cannot be printed without the copyright holder's written permission.
• Example: Using someone else's manga character or company logo for "personal" use without permission is still illegal.
About copyright, image rights, and trademark rights
Copyright Protection
Copyright protects creative works such as:
• Illustrations, photographs, music, and written content. You cannot use these works without the creator's permission.
Examples:
• Manga/anime characters
• Song lyrics
• Excerpts from novels or movies
Image rights
Image rights protect individuals from having their face or likeness used without their permission. This applies to everyone, not just celebrities.
• You cannot use someone's image without their consent.
Examples:
• Photos of celebrities
• Group photos that include others (even if it's not a public figure).
Trademark rights
Trademark rights protect brand identifiers, such as logos, company names, and product names. Registered trademarks cannot be used without the trademark owner's permission.
Examples:
• Company logos
• Brand names or product names
• Character illustrations
Consequences of Infringement
If you use materials covered by these rights without the appropriate permissions, the rights holder may take legal action.
Consequences could include:
- Fines
- Legal costs
- In serious cases, potential imprisonment.
Design Usage Approval Checklist Flow
(documentation required)
If in doubt, don't use it - that is the safest option. We can also help suggest design ideas,
so feel free to contact us before placing your order.
Designs We Cannot Produce
We cannot print designs that violate intellectual property laws or infringe someone else's rights. These include, but are not limited to:
- Unlicensed images of people (e.g., celebrities, influencers, or friends).
- Anime, manga, or video game characters.
- Company or brand logos.
- Parody designs that imitate well-known works.
- Song lyrics or excerpts from novels or movies.
- Portraits or caricatures of celebrities (where the person is recognisable).
- Images or illustrations from the Internet (unless properly licensed).
- "Free" assets that aren't licensed for commercial use.
Additionally, we will not produce designs that are:
- Illegal or obscene, such as sexual content or obscene language.
- Encouraging violence or promoting harm.
- Defamatory or abusive, causing harm to others.
- Discriminatory or hateful.
- Anything that violates public order or morals.
Acceptable Designs
We are happy to print the following types of designs:
- Your own original illustrations (created by you).
- Personal photos you have taken (that do not feature other people or violate rights).
- Free assets licensed for commercial use, as long as the terms of the license are adhered to.
- Designs with permission from the rights holder.
- Public domain works (works where copyright has expired).
Important Note:
Please ensure that all designs you submit comply with the guidelines above. If you are unsure whether your design meets these criteria, please contact us before submitting to avoid delays or potential legal issues.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a fair and legal process for all of our clients.
Design Approval
We reserve the right, at our absolute discretion, to refuse to print any design that we consider to be in breach of these design guidelines.
FAQs
Q. If it's an image created with AI, does that mean it's an original illustration and I can use any design?
A. No - not everything is allowed. With the rapid spread of AI in recent years, anyone can easily generate images, but it's increasingly common for AI-generated artwork to unintentionally resemble existing anime characters, celebrities, or company logos. In those cases, we can't produce it. However, if the AI image is completely original and genuinely distinctive, we can accept it.
Q. Can I use an AI-generated image?
A. AI-generated images may have unclear copyright or image-rights status. Please check the rights yourself. We can't accept liability if any issues arise.
Q. Would it still be not allowed even if I'm only giving the item as a gift to a friend?
A. Yes. Even for personal use, if you're having it made by a printing business, it falls outside the scope of "personal use". Even if it's not for resale, we don't accept designs that use someone else's work without permission.
Q. Can I use any "free" assets?
A. No. "Free" assets still come with licence terms. Rules vary by site (for example, whether commercial use or editing is allowed), so please make sure you check them. If the licence terms aren't met, we'll have to refuse the order.
Q. Can I use any photo I took myself?
A. You own the copyright to your photo, but if other people appear in it, image rights may apply. You'll need permission from everyone shown in the photo.
Q. If it's an illustration I drew myself, is it okay to draw a character?
A. No, we can't accept it. Even if you drew it yourself, designs that imitate existing characters may infringe someone's rights. "It's OK if I draw it myself" applies only to completely original designs that you created from your own ideas. If anyone can clearly recognise it as a specific character, we won't accept it - regardless of whether it's hand-drawn, traced, or AI-generated.
Q. Can I use it if I change it slightly?
A. No. If the changes are minor and the original design is still recognisable, it may infringe copyright. It's not allowed unless it's changed enough that it's clearly original to anyone who sees it.
Q. Can you make parody or homage designs?
A. No, we can't accept it. If the original design is still identifiable - whether it's AI-generated or hand-drawn - it may infringe copyright, trademark rights, or unfair competition laws (including the Unfair Competition Prevention Act). For this reason, we're unable to accept such requests.
Q. If I have permission, what should I do?
A. If you have formal permission from the copyright owner or rights holder, we can print it if you provide supporting documentation (such as a written permission letter or licence agreement). Please contact us before placing your order.
Q. What should I do if I'm not sure?
A. If you're unsure, the safest option is not to use it. If you still want to use it, feel free to contact us before placing your order.