IP violations are one of the most common reasons Etsy sellers get suspended. Most violations are accidental β sellers don't realize what they're allowed to use. This guide covers exactly where the lines are.
What you cannot sell on Etsy
Disney, Marvel, DC, and other licensed characters
These are among the most actively enforced. Even "inspired by" or "unofficial" products using recognizable characters get removed. Mickey Mouse, Baby Yoda, Hello Kitty, PokΓ©mon characters β all protected. Etsy's rights portal gives IP holders a direct removal tool.
Sports team logos and names
NFL, NBA, MLB, Premier League β all team logos and names are trademarked. "Kansas City Chiefs" on anything you sell is an infringement. Even "mahomes" or similar player names can be problematic.
Song lyrics
Printing any copyrighted song lyric on a product (t-shirt, print, mug) is copyright infringement. This includes partial lyrics. The music industry has licensing agencies that actively monitor Etsy.
Brand logos
Nike swoosh, Louis Vuitton pattern, Gucci logo β trademark infringement regardless of context. Even parody is risky without clear legal knowledge.
Grey areas
Fan art
Acceptable: original artwork clearly inspired by a show or character, with your own art style, not using names or logos.
Not acceptable: direct copies or tracings, using character names in titles/tags, using official images.
Quotes and sayings
Famous historic quotes (Shakespeare, Lincoln) β generally fine, they're in public domain. Movie/TV dialogue β copyright protected even if widely known. Many "viral" phrases have been trademarked by companies.
What you CAN do
- Public domain works β anything published before 1928 in the US is in public domain (check your jurisdiction)
- Original designs β your own art, your own patterns, your own phrases
- Licensed designs β many designers sell commercial use licenses for graphics and fonts. Verify the license explicitly includes physical products for sale.
- Creative Commons β check the specific CC license. CC BY-SA allows commercial use; CC BY-NC does not.
Font and graphic licensing
- Google Fonts β open source, free commercial use β
- Creative Fabrica β commercial use license ($9/month, covers all their fonts and graphics) β
- Canva Free elements β some are not licensed for commercial use β οΈ (check each one)
- Canva Pro β all Pro elements are licensed for commercial use β
- DaFont β varies by font, many are "free for personal use only" β οΈ
What happens when you get a DMCA notice
- Etsy removes the listing immediately
- You receive an email explaining the violation
- First offense: warning + listing removal
- Repeated offenses: account suspension
- You can submit a counter-notice if you believe the claim is wrong
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