I love Creative Fabrica and I use this site almost every day. It is an amazing place full of fantastic illustrations, cool fonts, and interesting graphics.
As someone who makes graphics for print-on-demand platforms, I’m always looking for methods to make things go quicker while still maintaining a high level of quality.
That’s why I’m subscribed to Creative Fabrica and Canva, two useful online tools that are helping me with my designs.
The process is mostly the same. I found an interesting illustration on Creative Fabrica, downloaded it with the POD license, and then used Canva to create artwork with it.
Let’s take two different subjects, one is an artist and one is a business entity. This is because, in the face of the law, they have slightly different positions.
In this case study, both subjects are downloading the same image from Creative Fabrica, and both are getting the image with the full POD license.
In the next move, they both upload the same image on Redbubble. This is a pretty common situation.
Is this legal? Yes, it is. They both have a subscription to Creative Fabrica, and they both get the image with the full print-on-demand license.
With the license, you can create and upload designs to POD sites that are the same or similar to the original.
This is cool because you don’t need to change the image before you upload it to Redbubble, in this case.
So, from a legal standpoint, there’s really nothing wrong.
However, both of them are still in trouble after they cancel their subscription to Creative Fabrica.
Why?
Let me clear something: I’m not a lawyer, so this is the point of view of an artist.
When two subjects post identical designs to the same platform, one of these designs becomes a duplicate.
So, in this scenario, even though one person has the same copyrights as another since they both have the same license, only the one who posted it to the platform first may be protected by the copyrights.
This is because Redbubble, which is valid for most POD sites, looks at the case differently, they have their own rules and terms.
So, if the person who submitted the design first contacts Redbubble and files a copyright strike against another designer, Redbubble would most likely remove the other design from their platform. Even if both persons have the same full POD license from Creative Fabrica.
This may appear to be harsh, yet it is one of the main reasons why most artists get into difficulties on POD platforms.
To be clear, it is not a Creative Fabrica issue here, it is an issue with Redbubble or other POD sites. They have their own terms, and you need to follow their rules.
So, let’s go back to the scenario when both subjects cancel their subscription to Creative Fabrica.
What will now happen to their designs? Here, the answer is really simple. If you don’t make any changes to the design you downloaded from Creative Fabrica, then after you cancel the subscription, you have to remove these designs from any POD site.
This is because we are not speaking about your design, in fact, this design has been licensed to you by Creative Fabrica. And if you cancel the subscription, it is illegal to sell such a design.
You Should Change Designs from Creative Fabrica
Let’s create another scenario. In this scenario, both individuals are downloading the identical design, but they are modifying it.
They are creating something unique from the design and then upload it on Redbubble. So, what will happen to the designs when they cancel their subscription?
Nothing. This is because they have made significant changes to the design, they have created something unique from it, so they have the right to use it even when the subscription is canceled.
This is critical to learn since it will help you stay safe on any POD site.
You have to always make significant changes to any graphic, illustration, or element you are downloading from Creative Fabrica, you have to always create something unique from it. This way, you can have a long-time running POD business.
On this site, there are two main licenses you can get. A basic print-on-demand license and then a full print-on-demand license. In this section of the article, I will talk about the situation where you have a subscription because if you buy something from Creative Fabrica with the full POD license, it is yours forever.
If you are subscribed to Creative Fabrica, then there are two POD licenses. The first is the Basic Print on Demand Usage, which is the default license for all designs with a subscription. This license lets you use the design on any POD site, but you have to make significant changes to the design. You cannot upload the design without adding new elements to it.
On the other hand, with the Full Print on Demand Usage, you can create and upload designs to POD sites that are the same or similar to the original.
With this license, you get the full rights to upload the design as it is on any POD site you want. However, if you get a copyright strike, it will not be from Creative Fabrica, it will be from the POD site because somebody else has uploaded the same design on the platform.
This is a reason why I’m always recommending changing the design you downloaded from Creative Fabrica and creating something unique from it. Just add something to it, add text, change colors, or add a background.
This way, you will be safe against copyright strikes.
Here Are Some of My Favorite Tools For Print-on-demand
As a graphic designer and POD seller, I’ve had the opportunity to discover different helpful products and tools that can be time-saving and make the process of creating your designs a bit smoother.
DESIGNS:Kittl (best for t-shirt designs), Vexels (for professional designs), Placeit (for unique product mockups)
Disclosure: Some of the links above may contain affiliate partnerships, meaning, at no additional cost to you, NechEmpire may earn a commission if you click through to make a purchase.
I'm Miroslav, a passionate graphic designer, Etsy seller and AI enthusiast. At NechEmpire, I'm here to share my knowledge and skills. I want to turn your design passion into a successful online business.
Thank you! Finally, I got a full and clear explanation of the difference between CF’s Basic and Full POD licenses. Well done!
I’m glad this article helped.