Licensing Questions & Answers
Can I use your designs for my business?
Thank you for considering my designs for your business project. In most cases, to use my designs you will need a license. The licensing agreement will be specific to your needs, so we will discuss your requirements in more detail first. The Q&A below explain what aspects will need to be discussed.
What about your printed fabrics? Do I need a license to make products from fabric featuring your design that I bought (for example from a retailer of your Cloud9 collections, Felicity Fabrics collections or from Spoonflower)?
In this particular case, you do NOT need a license from me to create products from the purchased fabric itself. However, if you wish to move over to manufacturing on a larger scale and therefore need the actual artwork to supply to a factory for printing then a license will be required.
What types of licenses do you offer?
I offer both non-exclusive and category-exclusive commercial licenses.
A non-exclusive license allows you to use the design to manufacture in the agreed category and sell the products during the licensing period. Other companies and platforms may also be granted a non-exclusive license to use the design as well.
For a category-exclusive license you would have exclusivity for the agreed product category (or categories) during the licensing period. This means there would be no directly competing products featuring the same design. I reserve the rights on all other categories, which means that the design may be used elsewhere by me or another company but not for the same type of product. It’s worth noting that if a design becomes popular in a different sector this may actually benefit your sales.
If you need broader exclusivity, please ask and I’ll be happy to discuss options.
In all cases, licenses will be for an agreed length of time (with the option to renew) and the copyright will remain with me.
How long are the licensing agreements for?
The term of the agreement is an aspect to be negotiated. Typically agreements may last 1 or 2 years depending on the project. However, different lengths are also possible if needed.
Can licenses be renewed?
Yes. The company licensing a design has first option to renew before the end of the agreement term.
Who owns the copyright?
I retain the copyright and ownership of the artwork and all derivative works at all times.
What is the price for licensing?
The price depends on several factors, some of which have already been explained above. Factors include:
Length of the license
Level of exclusivity
Product category (or categories)
The design (or designs) chosen for your project
Scale of manufacturing (i.e. hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of units)
Local or worldwide selling
The payment basis (flat-fee or royalties)
To get a quote please let me know as much as possible about your requirements. If you aren’t sure about some aspects please get in touch anyway with the details you do know already and I can guide you through the process.
Are licenses flat-fee or percentage royalty basis?
The basis of the license is an aspect to be negotiated. If you are an established company able to provide a sales forecast based on previous years’ data then percentage of revenue royalty basis may be an option: Please indicate if you are interested in royalty basis when you get in touch. Alternatively, flat-fee agreements can be arranged. These are simpler but the full amount needs to be paid upfront.
Do you have different pricing for different types of designs?
Yes. My flat-fee pricing is tiered depending on complexity of design. Where possible, please let me know which designs interest you, for example by providing a web link to the page you saw it. If you would like to see a catalog of designs to choose from please get in touch for access to a private area for Art Directors / Buyers.
Are there any discounts available?
Discounts may be offered for multiple designs in a package, and also for multiple years of license. Once I have all the information about your requirements I will provide a flat-fee quote that will automatically include any such discounts.
How are licenses paid?
I accept bank transfer, PayPal or Wise payment in GBP (British Pound) currency. You must cover any transfer charges at your end.
You have a design in several colour versions. Do I get all of the versions with the license?
This is an aspect that can be negotiated into the license agreement. On flat-fee basis licenses, usually there is a top-up fee for supplying extra colourway files.
Can you change the colours of your design for me?
In many cases, designs can be recoloured by me for your project. Recolouring is generally easier on simpler designs but gets more time-consuming for complex designs where balancing the colours is trickier. Therefore, if you are licensing a package of designs for a collection and want to match colours it is usually best to adjust the simpler designs to match the main piece. Matching simpler pieces for a collection is usually included, but there may be an extra charge for recolouring depending on what you need changing. Please enquire.
Can you create a bespoke design for me?
I may choose to undertake bespoke designs, but only on a licensing basis. This means that when the design is completed the copyright remains with me and can be used by you under license for an agreed period of time and for the agreed purposes. If you need the design for several years and want to use it across your whole product range exclusively then that is all possible if agreed upfront. The design brief, number of rounds of changes, cost, and details of the license would all be agreed at the start and signed before any design work commenced.
It’s worth mentioning that having a bespoke design made is going to cost more than choosing an existing design to license. This is because a large chunk of extra time is needed for discussing the design brief and navigating any rounds of changes. I have hundreds of designs already available. If you’d like to look through existing designs please ask for catalog access.
Are your designs suitable for all printing processes?
I design using a variety of different media and software. Some of my work is made with vector software using solid colour that translates well to screen printing, while other designs have more painterly details that may be better suited to other printing processes. In some cases designs can be modified to suit the process you plan to use, but it’s worth discussing this at the start. Having an idea of the print process and specifications early on will also help to prevent any manufacturing issues further down the line. If needed I can guide you about the questions to ask your print house, so please do get in touch.
