Pattern Licensing Information

Pattern licensing is when an artist or designer lets a company use their design on things such as fabric, stationery, or homeware—without selling the artwork outright.

Instead of giving it away permanently, the designer keeps ownership and grants permission for it to be used, usually in exchange for a fee to the license (the artist) or royalties. It’s a bit like renting out your design.

A non-exclusive pattern license means a designer allows more than one company to use the same design at the same time. The designer still owns the artwork and can license it to multiple brands, so you might see the same pattern on different products or in different shops.

Note: You do not need a license to sell finished goods you have made with fabric purchased from Spoonflower, or any of my other retailers.

An exclusive pattern license means a designer gives one company the sole right to use a specific design, usually for a set period of time or within a certain market. During that agreement, the designer can’t license the same pattern to anyone else within the same category, so the company gets something unique that won’t appear on competing products.

As the designer, I retain the right to use the design during the licensing period for any other purpose not specified in the licensing agreement. At the end of the term, you will have the first opportunity to renew the design. If you decide not to re-license, then the rights to the design revert back to me.

An Artisan License is a simple, affordable agreement that allows small business makers to use one of my designs to print fabric through a chosen print partner, and then create handmade products to sell.

It is a non-exclusive license, valid for 12 months, and designed especially for small-batch or seasonal production.

This license is ideal for makers, crafters, and independent sellers producing limited quantities for local sales, craft fairs, or online shops such as Etsy or your own website.

HOW MANY PRODUCTS CAN I MAKE WITH AN ARTISAN LICENSE?

The Artisan License allows you to produce up to 100 finished handmade items within a 12-month period using the chosen design. This includes printing enough fabric to make those products.

You can make 100 of the same item or a mix of different handmade products (for example, a combination of pet bandanas and collars), as long as the total does not exceed 100 items.

If you expect to produce more than this, or your business is moving into larger-scale or wholesale production, please contact me to discuss a Commercial License that better suits your needs.

WHAT CAN I MAKE WITH IT?

You may use the design on physical handmade fabric products that you personally create (with fabric printed through your chosen print provider).

Examples include:

• Home decor such as cushions, table runners, placemats, lampshades, tea towels, oven gloves, and napkins

• Accessories and fashion items such as bags, pouches, aprons, hair bows, headbands, scrunchies, hats, and scarves

• Baby and children’s items such as bibs, burp cloths, blankets, quilts, soft toys, and handmade clothing

• Pet products such as bandanas, collars, lead covers, pet beds, and mats

If your product isn’t listed here but is still a small-batch handmade fabric item, it is likely included — just feel free to message me to check.

WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE ARTISAN LICENSE?

The following uses are not permitted under the Artisan License:

• Creating or selling your own colour variations of the design

• Printing fabric or wallpaper for resale as standalone materials

• Mass production or factory-based manufacturing

If you need wider usage rights, higher production volumes, or exclusive licensing options, please contact me to discuss a Commercial License.

To protect my work, the following uses are also strictly not allowed:

• You may NOT sell the design on print-on-demand sites (such as Society6, Redbubble, Zazzle, Threadless, Teepublic, Spoonflower, etc.), print fulfilment services (such as Printful, Printify, Gelato, Gooten, Amazon Merch, and similar platforms), or through dropshipping services

• You may NOT create or sell digital products using the design

• You may NOT resell, share, or distribute the digital file

• You may NOT claim the artwork as your own, copy it, or create derivative designs

All designs remain © Gayle McCabe Design. All rights reserved.

HOW LONG DOES AN ARTISAN LICENSE LAST?

If you’d like to continue using the design after this period, you can simply renew the license by purchasing again.

WHAT FILE WILL I RECEIVE?

You will receive a high-resolution digital file of your chosen design, including:

• Seamless repeating pattern

• 3600 x 3600 pixels

• 12 x 12 inches at 300 DPI

• JPG format

• RGB colour mode

• Flattened (non-editable) file

• Watermark removed

Your design file and license document will be provided together in a ZIP download.

All use must follow the license terms.

CAN I CHANGE THE SCALE OF THE DESIGN?

Yes — you can adjust the scale when printing the design onto fabric or products.

Please note that resizing support is not included, so you will need to work with your print provider to achieve your desired scale.

CAN I CHANGE THE COLOUR OF THE DESIGN?

No. The artwork must not be edited, and each Artisan License covers only one colourway.

If you would like the same design in a different colour, a separate license is required for each version.

If you have a colour in mind that isn’t currently available, feel free to message me — I may be able to create a custom version depending on the design.

WHAT IF IWANT TO USE MORE THAN ONE PATTERN?

Each design requires its own separate Artisan License.

This keeps things simple and flexible while supporting the time and work that goes into creating each design.

ARE ALL YOUR DESIGNS AVAILABLE UNDER THE ARTISAN LICENSE?

Not all designs are included in the Artisan License, as some may be covered under other licensing agreements.

However, you are very welcome to ask about any design you are interested in. This licensing option is still growing, so I’m happy to check availability for you.

DO I NEED TO CREDIT YOU WHEN I SELL MY PRODUCTS?

No credit is required when selling finished products, although it is always appreciated.

If you share your products online, you are welcome to tag or mention me. I also love seeing finished items, so feel free to send photos if you’d like me to share your work.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I EXCEED THE SMALL-BATCH LIMIT?

If your production grows beyond the small-batch Artisan level, that’s fantastic — please get in touch as soon as possible.

We can upgrade your license so you can continue producing (a small additional fee may apply). When your 12-month term ends, we can also discuss moving you onto a suitable Commercial License.

WHAT LICENSE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE BEYOND ARTISAN?

For larger production runs, exclusive licensing, longer-term agreements, or additional support, please contact me to discuss a Commercial License.

These are tailored to each business, and we’ll work together to find the best fit for your needs.

As the designer, I will always own the Copyright to all my designs unless a buy out fee has been agreed.

Pattern licensing is very much a bespoke process, which means each agreement is tailored to fit the specific project. Things like how the design will be used, where the products will be sold, how long the license lasts, and whether it’s exclusive or non-exclusive are all taken into account.

Please complete my Licensing Request form with your information

This will depend on the artwork or pattern itself. If its watercolour, I may be able to adjust to suit your needs, but if its vector, for sure I will be able to match exactly to your requirements. Please complete my Design Request form with your information

All of my repeating patterns can be found in my Spoonflower shop. Wall placements and murals can be found on Happywall. Other placement artwork can be found in my Etsy shop. If there is something specific you require, please get in touch via my Licensing Request form.