Copyright Protected Imagery
This page explains how Twisted Swag handles copyright-protected imagery, submitted artwork, logos, brand assets, celebrity images, sports logos, character art, licensed graphics, and other designs that may be protected by copyright, trademark, publicity rights, or other intellectual property laws.
Because Twisted Swag works with customer-supplied files and custom production requests, this page exists to make expectations clear before artwork is printed, stitched, digitized, transferred, or otherwise used in production. Not every image, logo, or design that can be found online can legally be reproduced on apparel or promotional items.
Helpful Starting Points
What This Page Is For
This page is for customers who want to understand whether they can submit certain artwork for production and what Twisted Swag may do if a design appears to involve copyrighted, trademarked, licensed, or otherwise protected material. It is also here to reduce confusion before an order is started, approved, or placed into production.
Customer Responsibility for Submitted Artwork
Customers are responsible for making sure they have the legal right to use any artwork, logo, image, phrase, design, or brand element they submit. Submitting a file for quote review, mockup creation, proofing, or production means the customer is representing that they have the right or permission to use that material.
If a customer submits content they do not own or do not have permission to use, Twisted Swag may refuse the order, pause the order, request clarification, or decline to move forward.
Types of Protected Imagery
Protected imagery may include more than just obvious logos. It can include a wide range of visual content and brand-related assets, even if the customer found the image online or received it from another source.
- Professional and college sports logos
- Corporate logos and brand marks
- School logos, mascots, and institutional branding
- Celebrity photographs and likenesses
- Cartoon, comic, television, and movie characters
- Album art, entertainment graphics, and music-related imagery
- Artwork copied from websites, Etsy shops, or apparel brands
- Licensed designs and franchise-related graphics
- Photographs taken from social media or search engines
- Internet images without clear permission or ownership
Copyright, Trademark, and Other Rights
Some designs may be protected by copyright. Others may be protected by trademark. Some may also involve publicity rights, licensing restrictions, or contractual use limitations. A design does not need to have a visible copyright notice to still be protected.
That means a design can still create legal problems even if it is easy to download, appears on Pinterest, shows up in a Google image search, or has already been printed elsewhere by someone else.
What Twisted Swag May Refuse to Print
Twisted Swag may refuse any order that appears to involve copyrighted, trademarked, licensed, or otherwise protected material when the customer cannot show clear authorization or ownership. This includes situations where the design appears likely to create legal risk, customer confusion, or misuse of another party’s intellectual property.
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Requests using professional sports logos without authorization
- Requests using school or university marks without permission
- Requests using company logos for businesses the customer does not own or represent
- Requests using celebrity images or well-known character art
- Requests using copied designs from other apparel brands or creators
- Requests based on artwork pulled from social media, websites, or search results without proof of rights
Why This Matters
Custom printing and embroidery do not erase intellectual property rights. Just because a customer can upload an image does not mean it is legally safe to produce it. This page exists to reduce confusion and prevent orders from moving forward on artwork that should not be used.
This is not only about protecting Twisted Swag. It also protects customers from ordering products that may later become subject to refusal, cancellation, takedown demands, or legal complaints.
Original Artwork vs Copied Artwork
If the artwork is fully original and created by you, that is usually a different situation than using copied or third-party material. Original content created by the customer, or created for the customer with the necessary rights transferred or licensed, is generally easier to review than artwork that appears to be based on someone else’s protected work.
If there is any doubt about ownership or usage rights, it is better to clarify that before the order moves forward.
If You Have Permission to Use the Artwork
If you have written permission, a license, brand authorization, or another valid right to use the artwork, you should be prepared to provide that information if needed. Twisted Swag may request clarification before agreeing to produce certain designs.
Examples of useful supporting information may include:
- Written authorization from the rights holder
- A license agreement
- Proof that the artwork was created for you with transferable rights
- Business ownership or organizational authority related to the logo
- Other documentation showing your legal right to reproduce the material
Internet Images and Social Media Graphics
Finding an image online does not automatically make it free to use. Images copied from Google, social media, Pinterest, other apparel brands, marketplaces, or websites may still be protected. Customers should not assume that public visibility equals public permission.
Even if an image has been reposted many times, saved to a phone, or shared in a group chat, that does not automatically create the legal right to print it on apparel or merchandise.
Logos, Brands, and Team Marks
Business logos, school marks, sports logos, and brand identities are often protected. If the order involves any third-party mark, Twisted Swag may decline the project unless the customer has a clear right to use it.
This is especially important for:
- Franchise and league logos
- Company logos for employers, vendors, or outside organizations
- School mascots and institutional branding
- Recognizable marks used in fundraising, booster, or fan apparel
Celebrity, Character, and Entertainment Imagery
Artwork involving celebrities, public figures, cartoon characters, comic characters, movie characters, television imagery, and entertainment branding often creates additional intellectual property or publicity-rights concerns. These types of designs may be declined unless the customer can show a clear legal right to use them.
Customer-Supplied Files Are Still Reviewed
Uploading a file does not guarantee that Twisted Swag will print it. Customer-supplied content may still be reviewed for intellectual property concerns, production suitability, and overall business risk before the order is accepted.
What Happens If a Problem Is Identified
If artwork raises intellectual property concerns, Twisted Swag may do one or more of the following:
- Ask the customer for clarification
- Request proof of authorization or ownership
- Recommend an alternate design direction
- Pause the order until the issue is resolved
- Refuse the order entirely
What to Do If You Are Not Sure
If you are not sure whether your artwork is protected, copyrighted, trademarked, licensed, or otherwise restricted, the best next step is Customer Support before placing the order or uploading files for production.
Related Policy Information
Questions about copyright complaints, takedown issues, ownership disputes, or rights-holder concerns may also relate to the DMCA Policy and the Terms of Service.
No Legal Advice
This page is provided for general policy and process information only. It is not legal advice. If you need legal advice regarding copyright ownership, trademark rights, licensing, fair use, publicity rights, or infringement issues, you should consult a qualified attorney.
Why This Page Matters
This page exists to make expectations clear before artwork enters production. It helps protect both the customer and Twisted Swag from avoidable problems involving protected designs, unauthorized content use, and intellectual property disputes.
Who This Page Is Best For
This page is best for customers who want to submit custom artwork and need a clearer understanding of what may or may not be legally safe to produce.