The European Football Championship (mid-June – mid-July 2021) as well as the Tokyo Olympics (mid-July – early August 2021) and the Paralympic Games (also in Tokyo from late August – early September 2021) are just around the corner! Millions of fans are now shopping for sporty apparel and designs. It’s a tempting opportunity to increase your Spreadshop earnings. But watch out! Numerous words, figures and logos are protected.

As a print-on-demand platform, we’re interested in Shop Owners following all legal requirements. Listed below you’ll find select trademarks and expressions related to the three major sporting events. In particular – but not limited to – the following words should be avoided in the design, the name, keywords and descriptions.

Avoid these terms:

Please note that the above list is only exemplary.

Figurative marks to avoid:

Please note that this list is only an example and that the official images should not be edited either.

More hints

Not only the official UEFA and Olympic/Paralympic logos, mascots and expressions are not allowed. But you should also be careful with partners, sponsors and other brands associated with the sporting events. This year, sponsors of the European Championship include Coca-Cola, Heineken, VW, TikTok, FedEx and booking.com. Sponsors of the 2021 Olympic and Paralympic Games include Intel Corporation, Procter and Gamble, Airbnb, Alibaba Group, Atos, Bridgestone, Dow, General Electric, Omega, Panasonic, Toyota and Visa.

You can search registered trademarks at any time through the trademark offices. Do your search online, for example at the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

Do you have any questions about this topic? Discuss with other Shop Owners in the comments below!

The post Legal Aspects of the Olympics and More appeared first on The Spreadshop Blog.

The 2018 World Cup is bound to be just as popular as ever, which means that football-related designs should be on the agenda. Time to upload some creative designs!Of course, before you start designing, it’s essential that you familiarize yourself with any relevant copyright/trademark rules and regulations. Fortunately for you, we’re here to help, as we’ve detailed the restrictions below.

World Cup Designing Restriction

Just before you put on your creative hat, be sure not to base your own designs too closely on the official imagery (designs, logos, etc.) as these are protected. The same is true for word marks, of course. Avoid any reference to trademark phrases when naming or describing your designs. The following list will give you some indication of what to avoid, but please note that list is not exhaustive:

• FIFA
• FIFA World Cup
• Football World Cup
• World Cup 2018
• Russia 2018
• WM 2018
• WK 2018
• Zabivaka
• ФИФА
• Россия 2018

You’ll also be restricted from using any slogans, including “For the Game. For the World” and “Where the stars align.”

As mentioned above, both Marketplace designs and your Shop (including design names, descriptions, tags, Shop headers, and Shop images) really can’t use any trademarked slogan, specific mentions of “FIFA” and “FIFA World Cup,” and any references to a specific national football associations (including the DFB (Germany), FA (UK), USMNT (USA), and FFF (France)).

In regards to designs, Spreadshirt does not support the unauthorized distribution of trademarked images. This also includes any logos for FIFA’s sponsors, partners and other affiliated companies.

These restrictions really only skim the surface of what isn’t allowed. To see the usability of any trademark, you can rely on the following resources:

• Advanced trademarks
• How to register a trademark

Please refer to FIFA’s website for specific information on brand protection.

Ultimately, we don’t want you to be confused or tentative as you’re producing World Cup designs. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact legal@spreadshirt.net (EU) or verify@spreadshirt.com (US). Otherwise, familiarize yourself with all the relevant restrictions, and get ready for things to kick off!

High-profile events and legal restrictions go hand-in-hand. Do you have any experience dealing with these limitations? If you have any tips or insight, feel free to leave a comment!

The post Avoid Red Card: 2018 World Cup Designs appeared first on The Spreadshop Blog.

With the end of 2017 approaching, it’s time we do the taxation information dance. The following article is a “Spreadshirt Taxation for Dummies” guide to help you determine what you need to do to meet your Spreadshirt taxation obligations. Please read the information below carefully. A few things are required of all Spreadshirt Partners, and some are specific to certain types of Partners. Find out which group you fit into with our handy flowchart, and follow the information below to ensure your compliance.

Download Flowchart

1. All Spreadshirt Partners

The following information required of ALL Spreadshirt Partners:

• Name: First and last name
• Address: House number and street, city, country, ZIP code

If you are currently receiving payments from Spreadshirt, we already have your information on file, but we suggest that you check it again for accuracy. Incorrect information will result in non-payment of Spreadshirt earnings until correct information is provided.

2. Partners Who Are U.S. Citizens Residing Within or Outside of the United States or Resident Aliens

The following information is required of Partners who are U.S. citizens or companies, residing within or outside of the United States or are resident aliens. This Partner type is defined by the IRS as a U.S. citizen or resident alien, any domestic estate or trust, or a Partnership, company or corporation created in the U.S. and organized under its laws:

• Name: First and last name
• Address: House number and street, city, country, ZIP code
• A valid TIN, SSN or EIN
• A filled-in W-9 form (also available for download in the User/Partner area)

Please note: for the W-9 form to be valid, you must put your User ID in section 7 where it says, “List account number(s) here (optional)”. The data on the form must be consistent with what is provided in your Spreadshirt account.

Please download, fill out, sign, and email your W-9 form as an attachment to taxation@spreadshirt.com.

3. Partners Who Are Non-U.S. Citizens

The following information is required of Partners who are non-U.S. citizens. This Partner type is defined by the IRS as a foreign individual, non-resident alien, or someone earning income from U.S. sources (in this case, Spreadshirt, Inc.):

• Name: First and last name
• Address: House number and street, city, country, ZIP code
• A valid Foreign TIN
• A filled-in W-8-BEN form (also available for download in the User/Partner area)

Please note: for the W-8-BEN form to be valid, you must put your User ID in section 7 where it says, “Reference number(s) (see instructions)”. The data on the form must be consistent with what is provided in your Spreadshirt account.

Please download, fill out, sign, and email your W-8-BEN form as an attachment to taxation@spreadshirt.com.

For European Partners, you can find your Foreign TIN by following this link.

For Partners from other countries, please contact your local tax consultant or local tax authorities to obtain the required information.

4. Partners Who Are Non-U.S. Companies

The following information is required of Partners who are non-U.S. companies. This Partner type is defined by the IRS as a foreign company earning income from U.S. sources (in this case, Spreadshirt, Inc.):

• Name: First and last name
• Address: House number and street, city, country, ZIP code
• A valid Foreign TIN
• A filled-in W-8-BEN-E-form (also available for download in the User/Partner area)

Please note: for the W-8-BEN-E form to be valid, you must put your User ID in section where it says, “Reference number(s) (see instructions)”. The data on the form must be consistent with what is provided in your Spreadshirt account.

Please download, fill out, sign, and email your W-8-BEN-E form as an attachment to taxation@spreadshirt.com.

For European Partners, you can find your Foreign TIN by following this link.

For Partners from other countries, please contact your local tax consultant or local tax authorities to obtain the required information.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR U.S. PARTNERS (INDIVIDUALS, COMPANIES AND RESIDENT ALIENS)

• Commissions earned at Spreadshirt must be declared as income. This is usually done with a 1099-MISC form. Please consult your tax advisor or the IRS website for more information on how to declare your commission earnings.
• If you have received $600 or more in commissions the previous year, Spreadshirt will send out a 1099-MISC form by January 31st the following year.
• If you have received $600 or more in Affiliate/Volume Commissions the previous year, or $10 or more in design commissions, you will also receive the 1099-MISC form.
• If you have received a commission the previous year, but have not submitted a W-9 form, Spreadshirt will also send out a 1099-MISC form by January 31st the following year.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FOREIGN PARTNERS (INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES)

• All non-U.S. Partners are subject to U.S. tax at a rate of 30% on income they receive from U.S. sources (in this case, Spreadshirt, Inc.)
• If a Partner resides in a country that has a Double Taxation Treaty (DTT) agreement with the U.S., the Partner can avail themselves of a reduced rate of tax deducted.
• IRS provides an A-Z list of all U.S. tax treaties. If you are unsure if your country of residence has a double taxation treaty agreement with the U.S., you can check by clicking here.
• By signing Form W-8-BEN(-E), Partner makes a declaration about their tax residency and requests the benefits of the tax treaty that exists between the U.S. and their country of residence.
• Commissions earned at Spreadshirt must be declared as income with form 1042-S, which Spreadshirt will send you. Please consult your tax advisor or the IRS website for more information on how to declare your commission earnings.
• For International Shop owners there is no commission threshold to receive a 1042-S form: if you have received any commission earnings the previous year, Spreadshirt will send out the 1042-S form by April 15th the following year, at the latest.

For complete information regarding Spreadshirt, taxation, and you, please refer to:

• Spreadshirt Help-section: Earning Money With Spreadshirt
• Spreadshirt’s General Terms & Conditions
• Spreadshirt’s Shop Owner Terms & Conditions
• Consult your tax advisor/consultant

There is nothing quite as taxing (pun intended) as taxation information and the requirements associated with it. Please take your time, and be sure you have provided the correct information and forms to properly file your taxes associated with Spreadshirt.

Spreadshirt, Inc. and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

The post Spreadshirt & Taxes: A Complete Guide appeared first on The Spreadshop Blog.

Selling designs and opening your own shop is easier than ever thanks to print on-demand. But with the freedom to create and sell in such an efficient way, potential legal risks might arise.

Most shop owners have presumably heard of copyright laws, but many might uninformed about what these laws entail. So, how can you be completely sure you’re not going to end up in the middle of a legal disaster and make designs your audience will love?

Here at Spreadshop, we’ve got you covered. We’ll jump into the most important copyright FAQs that will allow you to continue designing without any legal worries!

What Does Copyright Mean?

Let’s start with the obvious question: what exactly is copyright?  To give a broad, technical definition, it’s the proprietorship of a specific piece work; the proprietor(s) owns the right to distribute, commercialize, replicate and profit from it in any other way.

In short, if a design is copyrighted, you shouldn’t start selling it or something similar in your shop. Only the owner of that exclusive design has the authorization to monetize it. This doesn’t just go for t-shirt designs either. Any written, visual, or even verbal content, has the potential to fall under the copyright law.

Now, if you love a design that’s proprietary, you don’t need to trash the idea completely. Use the copyrighted design as inspiration to come up with an even better concept for your shop!

Off-limits Designs

• Logos of sports teams, schools and universities, organizations, clubs, movies, books, games, and bands.
• Pictures or artwork of sports teams, schools and universities, organizations, clubs, movies, books, games, and bands.
• Characters from movies, books, comics, and television shows.
• Viral Content such a memes and YouTube videos.
• Images found on search engines or any other image that is not listed for commercial use.
• Trademark companies and their logos, names, and content.
• Celebrities exploited in any way, even if it’s original content.

It seems like there’s so many limitations when you’re simply trying to come up with a design for your shop. Don’t let these limitations hold you back. There is still plenty of room for creative opportunity. You just need to think outside of the box!

What Designs can I Legally Use

While certain designs are off-limits, there are countless designs that are available for commercial use as well. We recommend using any of the following methods when designing gear for your Shop.

• Royalty free images that are for commercial use
• Public Domain images
• Your original designs

What is the Public Domain?

The public domain is a collection of creative material that is not protected under the copyright law. Everything is available for public use. Content existing in the public domain is either donated content, expired copyright content, or content that has been forfeited in some way. There are thousands of great t-shirt design ideas within the public domain. If you have an idea that you want to bring to life, start looking there!

Although the public domain is a helpful resource, all public content has the potential to become copyrighted.  Yes, everything is fair-game, but that doesn’t mean content can’t become copyrighted down the road. It’s unlikely that one of your Shop’s public domain t-shirt designs will suddenly fall under the copyright law, but it’s important to be aware of the possibility.

How can I check to see if something is copyrighted online?

You found the perfect graphic for your Shop, but you’re not sure if it’s copyrighted. How do you know what to do? Here are a few simple tricks to help determine whether an image falls under the copyright law.

Look for the signs

• There is the © symbol. The copyright symbol is usually tiny and located somewhere around the perimeter of an image or graphic.
• There is a watermark.
• There is a note representing ownership sourcing.

Do a little research

• Visit the copyright office to browse through copyrighted files.
• Check an image copyright online. Perform a reverse image search to reveal the original source of an image.

The obvious

• • It’s not yours and you didn’t create it.
  • Just ask! The best way to get copyright information is from the source itself.

It’s also helpful to be informed on how fair-use is assessed. Each copyright license is different, so it’s important to consider the restrictions and guidelines that follow. Just remember, until you’re certain an image isn’t copyrighted, don’t take the risk of adding it to your Shop.

Are quotes protected by copyright?

People are attracted to quotes and sayings because they affect us on an emotional level. That’s why t-shirt designs with quotes are often top sellers among those with Shops. Quotes are free to be used commercially when you think of them yourself. However, things get a bit tricky when using quotes from copyrighted pieces of work.

We don’t want to bore you with the complicated legal details, so we’ve put together a list of do’s and don’ts for t-shirt quotes.

Do Quote:

• Anything from the public domain
• Authors who have been dead for over 70 years
• Common sayings
• Sayings that are too short to be protected by the copyright law
• Parodies
• Your own thoughts and sayings

Don’t Quote

• Anything from a living author
• Anything from an author who’s been deceased for less than 70 years
• Trademarked material
• Corporate slogans
• Scripted or literary works of art

How to copyright a design for t-shirts

Shop owners automatically maintain the rights to any designs submitted to the Spreadshop platform. Once your design is available for purchase, you’re not required to do anything further for ownership. However, there are many advantages to copyrighting your t-shirt designs though the copyright office.  You’ll not only have a public record of proprietorship, but it will also confirm the copyright source to anyone seeking to purchase your design.

To achieve a copyright for a t-shirt design, an application and fee will need to be submitted to the copyright office. This can be done electronically or through mail.

How much does it cost to copyright a design?

Electronic US copyright registration currently costs $35 (fees are subject change). This fee consists of one form and doesn’t require any lawyers. The current forms can be found on the US Copyright website, www.copyright.gov.

In Conclusion

Copyright laws may seem like a lot to take in, but it’s important to know the basics. Don’t let the thought of legal matters keep you from expressing your ideas. As long as you’re creating something new for your Spreadshop, then only good things will follow!

Did you know, you can make money with that creativity of yours? See how you can monetize your designs by opening a FREE Spreadshop today!

Open your own shop

The post Copyright Basics for T-Shirt Design appeared first on The Spreadshop Blog.