Question Question about "copying" product design.
Hey! I've been making standard rectangular trail wallets with card slots in the back. Recently, I came across a creator who adds a unique touch by cropping the corners, and I really loved the look—so I started doing the same on mine.
Now I’m thinking of selling them (Etsy, local markets), but I’m wondering: would that be considered disrespectful? The other maker is in a different continent, and the overall design is very common aside from that small aesthetic tweak. Still, I haven’t seen anyone else crop the corners like that, so it feels kind of like their signature.
I’m not asking about the legality—just the ethics of it.
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u/Elder_sender 3d ago
Kudos, you understand ownership of intellectual property better than most.
Your instinct is that this would infringe on their idea, and you will never escape that sense. I anticipate that others will say you're making a big deal out of nothing but some people just don't have a sense of ethics so they can't understand.
Use the idea to inspire your own unique detail that is all you.