Etsy, Pinterest, and DIY

I'm not afraid to admit I spend an unhealthy amount of time on Pinterest, particularly the Arts & Crafts section (probably more than I should). It always provides me with great inspiration for new projects, whether they're ones to sell or make just for myself.

There always seems to be a bit of a catch when I see certain items. Sometimes I will see a great pin with a comment along the lines of, "oh, this is such a great idea and looks so easy to make!" When I inevitably become intrigued and click on the picture to see the whole pin, I will see the Etsy logo in the corner, signifying that this is an item someone is selling.

It can be disappointing many times, seeing something great that I'd like to make (and hopefully sell), then seeing that someone else has already made and listed them for sale. On the one hand, this is something that is a great product that I could definitely make. On the other hand, as a small businesses owner, I believe that it is extremely important to respect other designers/business owners and not steal ideas/designs.

This brings me to the issue of inspiration vs. straight-up ripping off someone else's ideas. It can get very tricky sometimes, using inspiration without blatantly copying someone's design for my own profit. Even with things that aren't clearly from Etsy, I still try to respect the original artist and not copy detail-for-detail the pin.

So, my own personal guidelines for using Pinterest for inspiration for my products: if the inspiration item is clearly from Etsy, I will possibly make the item for myself, but will absolutely not sell. For anything else (especially when it's a clear how-to with no expectation of an exchange of money): I will make the item for myself and/or for sale, but the item I sell must not be an exact replica of the inspirational pin.

Copyright can be a very tricky thing in the regular world; in the world of Etsy and crafts, it's doubly tricky. For my own personal ethics (and yes, to cover my own ass), I very much try to respect the intellectual property of other artists but still enter into an exchange of ideas within the community. And as my own items are on Pinterest, I hope others follow this guide of respect as well.