imitation game

“It can be very difficult to file for intellectual property on a product that’s hand-made by different artisans because there’s always going to be minor variations in the design.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve become more attuned to the social and ecological impacts of fashion than ever before.

But when it comes to traditional cultural knowledge, the system still lacks legal and moral guidance. From dishonestly appropriating motifs and symbols, to knowingly taking business away from artisans whose livelihood is tied to crafts, it’s a complex and evolving issue.

The founder of ethical homewares brand The Dharma Door, Shannon Sheedy, has come to accept plagiarism of her original designs as inevitable. The fact that it happens on a regular basis does little to soften the impact, especially for the fair trade artisans in Bangladesh she partners with. “When a product is copied, the impact is that, potentially, work can be taken away from the women,” Shannon explains. “If that brand has a stronger online presence, or they copy a design and buy a huge amount and flood the market, it diminishes the value of the artisans’ work.”