Meet the DEAL Community

Washington, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom

Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

I am an Ottawa-based consultant and community activist focused on helping organizations, businesses and governments apply circular and regenerative strategies and approaches. 

San Francisco, California, United States

Oslo

Hey there, I'm Paula!!! A passionate architect and urbanist originally from Colombia. I've had the chance to live in some amazing places like Madrid, Siena, Rotterdam, and now Oslo. My professional journey? It's all about diving into the cool intersection of urban planning and well-being. I'm on a mission to figure out why we do what we do and how design can make our cities not just functional, but awesome for us and our planet. Always up for learning and keen to contribute to a future where cities are people-friendly and sustainable. I believe design isn't just about making things look good—it's about making life better.

Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil

Systems Mapping, Design, and Visualization

Susan Miller—Legal Aspects You Must Know In Selling POD T-Shirts Running a T-shirt brand is never easy, since you have to use both your heart and mind. Your heart guides you to keep creating beautiful designs, but your mind makes sure that those designs abide by the rules. Obviously, you can’t impress any customer if your brand violates copyright.  In this detailed post, you will hear some sound advice from Susan Miller - an expert from the reputable POD brand, LionKingShirt. She has been in this industry for more than 5 years, and witnessed countless POD stores get into trouble with the law. Susan understood that while creative passions may fuel your vision, knowledge of the law makes sure your business can survive for years to come. Follow this comprehensive guide to know what to expect, so you can safely embark on selling POD T-shirts! Steer Clear Of IP Infringements As the leader of a POD T-shirt brand, you must be aware that your product involves a lot of creativity, and there are regulations to prevent creators from stepping out of line. In the first section, Susan will walk you through the intellectual property laws regarding trademarks and copyrights. Educate yourself on licensing and permission ASAP, if you want to save your brand from potential lawsuits or takedowns. 1. Trademark Do's And Do Nots According to Susan, trademarks protect brand names, slogans, logos, or any distinctive “mark” associated with a company. You can never design a T-shirt with exact copies of trademarked content without licensing agreements and documented permission. For example, using the famous Disney font in any context requires formal approval. If you want to design T-shirts on popular catchphrases, movie quotes or lyrics, always check if those phrases are formally trademarked. Many times, you will see the most common sayings turned out to be protected intellectual property. Only borrow a bit from cultural phrases but never use them word-by-word without permission. Even quotes like “Just Do It” risk violation. In general, steer clear of any brands or high-profile entertainment franchises, as they are heavily protected. Your safest bet is to create phrases and designs that are completely original - a bit influenced by public trends but not copy them.  2. Copyright Rules Simplified Susan Is One Of The Leaders In Product And Content Development, but even she struggles against copyright law sometimes. Because copyright law protects creative works like art, images, videos, music or texts from being used commercially. This means you cannot use full copyrighted content on your T-shirts, without buying a license or getting permission from the holder. The same rules apply to creating derivative works, which contain major elements of copyrighted content. Even if you alter parts of a copyrighted image or song, you still have to get permission for commercial use. Only crediting the original creator isn’t enough; the rights must be granted directly. If you want to stay safe in the POD T-shirt industry, you have to understand there are many limitations on selling goods featuring licensed material. 3. When Fair Use Potentially Applies Fair use is a legal principle that allows you to use some parts of copyrighted material without permission. This only applies to specific purposes like commentary, criticism, news reporting, teaching, or parody. However, for fair use to apply, you must use only the most necessary parts, not take the entire original work. However, Susan comments that the lines become very blurry in this aspect. Fair use is still a gray area in IP law, it could vary from business to business. So you should only take advantage of fair use when there’s no other choice, and push the limits carefully. Never use icons like Disney or Marvel characters under any claims of fair use. If you’re still unsure, consult lawyers specialized in IP. Mind Your Business Structure When launching a POD T-shirt business, every seller must face one decision: how to formally present your business to the law? You can either operate as a sole proprietorship - using your personal identity, or form a limited liability company (LLC). In this part, Susan will help you weigh your options. 1. All About Sole Proprietorship  If you choose to go solo, you can avoid all legal paperwork and costs. Sole proprietors will report all income and expenses in their personal tax returns. But the major downside is there is no liability protection. Susan points out that should your T-shirt store face any lawsuit, you and your assets are completely vulnerable. Your entire home could be seized to cover debts or damages. As your brand increases in scale, this risk also becomes greater. Besides, banks and vendors may not take your business as seriously. 2. LLC Benefits For Protection On the other hand, an LLC (limited liability company) will keep your house and personal stuff safe, if you are ever sued. Only the company's assets are endangered. Vendors also show more respect for this formal structure, because an LLC shows that you are fully committed to the business. However, forming an LLC does involve state registration paperwork and fees ranging from $50-$500 to set up. You must also file annual reports to maintain LLC status, which can cost up to $200, depending on the location. Higher business taxes may apply as well, but income can still pass through to your personal returns, avoiding double taxation.  3. Tax Obligations Overview No matter what your business structure is, if you are a POD seller based in the US, you are responsible for tracking all revenues and paying income taxes quarterly. All federal and state taxes apply to your T-shirt shop’s earnings. You must also pay self-employment taxes for Social Security and Medicare. When sales revenues exceed a certain amount, you are obligated to charge all relevant state and local sales tax rates at checkout. If you fail to deliver, your business will be put at risk for audits. As a business owner, you must estimate your income taxes carefully to avoid underpayment penalties.  Playing By The Ecommerce RulesFinally, a POD T-shirt store is heavily involved in the E-commerce aspect. Susan said that every seller must know the legal policies of any online e-commerce business. Only when you follow the practices on privacy, accessibility, marketing and disclosures, do your customers feel protected.  1. Sales Tax Necessities As mentioned, your POD shop must charge all applicable state and local sales tax rates at checkout once you reach certain thresholds, usually based on sales volumes or assets within a state. Rates vary across states from 1-10% and vary by product type.  You should consider setting up a sales tax calculator or software plugin that automatically determines rates, based on the customer’s shipping locations. Remember that the rules differ in every jurisdiction, so if you want to save energy and time, it’s best to rely on the machines for this. 2. Digital Policies For Protection Just like any traditional T-shirt brand, you have to set some ground rules on how your POD store operates. For example, a website like Lion King Shirt has clear terms of service, privacy policies, accessibility accommodations, and DMCA takedown protocols. Privacy policies will tell how customer data is handled, while the terms show refund conditions, user conduct rules and more. If you are notified of copyright claims, then closely follow the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) processes. Enable alt text on your images and other accessibility features. Always stay updated because digital laws evolve on both state and federal levels. Remember that complying with the law protects your interests. 3. FTC Disclosure Guidance You have to honestly disclose any paid or incentivized product endorsements, according to FTC guidelines. Avoid exaggerated marketing claims because they could be considered false advertising. Your shipping, return policies, and other details must be revealed upfront so customers make the most informed decisions.  The Final Advice To wrap things up, you have to brush up on plenty of legal mumbo-jumbo before getting your POD T-shirt brand up and running. Thanks to the guidance from expert Susan Miller, the article has summarized the key legal aspects to ensure success and stability. Take informed actions to turn your creative vision into a thriving legal business! 

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Brussels-Capital, Belgium

Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Spain

I would like to be part of the solution

Switzerland

Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Lecturer in Marketing interested in Green Demarketing, Degrowth and how to be a Donught Brand.

Jambi, Indonesia

Hello I'm Fitri A final year student at one of the universities in Indonesia I'm currently completing my final project with the topic of donut economics I still have a lot to learn ^-^

Big Pool, Maryland, United States

Seattle Seattle, Washington, United States

Bangkok, Thailand

Conwy, Wales, United Kingdom

Brussels, Brussels-Capital, Belgium

My name is Kalina Fonseca. I am originally from Ecuador, but now I live in Giessen, Germany, where I am pursuing my PhD in water resource management with an emphasis on nature-based solutions. Since 2016, I have been working with local Andean communities facing water pollution affecting irrigation and drinking water. Due to a lack of financial resources, these communities cannot access conventional water treatment methods. In this context, I have been working on implementing nature-based solutions as cost-effective alternatives to improve water quality and ensure water security for both present and future generations.

Slaughterford, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom