You know what I have noticed? You may have noticed it too- the alarming new trend of large toy companies making toys that look handmade- like different scraps of fabric- bits of ricrac and ribbon- embroidered little faces -yet mass producing them in developing nations - no doubt paying workers 5cents per 1000 toys...I use to see it really occasionally but lately its just everywhere.
I have seen on blogs people having their designs ripped off by large toy companies. Today I was in a shop that I sell to , to check on how my softies were selling (very well- thanks!) and I looked around and all I could see was this new brand of toys they had in that was just a total rip off of... well Etsy softies- (I originally had pictures showing the similarities between the ones I saw today and ones from Etsy but I thought that may not be a wise idea)
How can little crafters like me compete against these huge companies- they sell the toys - wholesale for $10-$15- I can't compete against that.
I am sure they are ripping off designs - but what hope is there? If some massive toy company started making, say, this what am I going to do? I know, I could sue , but really could I? What hope would I have against a legal team???... it's a bit of a David vs Goliath battle isn't it? They can mass produce ten thousand a day and I can produce - maybe 2 a day??
It would be really easy to just throw my hands up in the air and say - bugger it! Why bother?!
But bother I will. I love making softies and its not just about the money- its about making something with my own hands that will bring joy to other people, about people having a little piece of me in their homes...and for those of you who create may agree that sometimes its almost like you have no choice- if you don't get those ideas out of your head - it may explode!
Its just that sometimes some people don't play fair.
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