Too similar not to notice!
AttorneyScott Commentary:
As overseas production becomes cheaper and easier to access for U.S. companies, we are seeing more and more jewelry knock-offs coming from overseas factories and mills. Is the below such a knock-off, or just another expression of a similar idea?
***
Dear YTWWN:
I've been on Etsy as a seller and shopper since 2005. As the site grew, so did knock offs. Now it (still) seems commonplace!
Joanna Rutter is a UK illustrator & designer that makes darling pieces out of metal. Over the years, I've noticed more & more resellers selling her designs as mass-produced 'supplies'. I even saw a few shops that blatantly state 'I handcut these designs.. bla bla bla'. The birds, whale, cloud, umbrella & leaves are now everywhere. I've taken a few items from her sold section of her Etsy shop, and found the pieces resellers are hocking to the masses (from South Korea, USA & China) I contacted Joanna last year, pointing out my findings, but I never received a reply. I thought I'd bring my beef here to share & bring awareness. Joanna's shop is at: joannarutter.etsy.com
April 12th, 2012 - 03:37
If Joanna hasn’t replied to you, then you shouldn’t jump to conclusions about the copying. Perhaps the copying is done by license. Perhaps the copying is the other way around (E.g. the Etsy artist is doing the copying, rather than being copied).
We Don’t Know The Facts.
IMHO, stuff shouldn’t be posted here unless we have it directly from the artist that they made the original and didn’t license the other party to copy the work.
May 6th, 2012 - 23:45
I’ve seen quite a few of these pieces from Chinese wholesaler stores, so Joanna may be the one lying about the originality, who knows.
Maybe you should try contacting her again some time soon.
August 14th, 2012 - 21:32
Looks like a total rip of copy to me unless the Etsy seller Joanna Rutter is buying her stuff from China. I hate the Chinese factory rip offs of everything. they don’t care anything about copyright laws or rights.
December 13th, 2012 - 01:53
if she hasn’t responded to you, then somethings up. maybe she’s the one copying here. also, why do you care so much. i would’ve stopped after she didn’t respond. this is a big deal for someone. very weird she didn’t say anything. hmmmmm
January 30th, 2013 - 21:01
I wouldn’t get too riled up, it looks like she is using the Twitter logo, and fail whale anyway, so that’s not really original.