Patreon Merchandise Copyright and Trademark Policy

  • Updated

Introduction


Welcome Creator! We’re really excited that you want to take the relationship with your patrons to the next level by producing awesome merchandise for your community! In order to ensure that you, the creator, have as seamless of a merchandise creation and production experience as possible through Patreon, your creation must be in compliance with the guidelines below

While these guidelines may seem a bit stricter than our general community and benefits policies, they are meant to ensure that your design is wholly original, and is not infringing upon any copyright-protected, or trademarked work of another creator. This distinction is especially important when a design is being printed on merchandise for legal reasons. 

If you have any questions about how we are interpreting this policy, you can contact us at merch@patreon.com.


Guidelines



Intellectual Property Rights
You need to either wholly own the content you submit to Patreon, or have the rights to use, display, and resell it. Any content you submit must comply with trademark and copyright laws.

Content submitted for merchandise creation containing unauthorized copyright-protected or trademarked content is absolutely prohibited. 

Content Guidelines
Your content is yours – Patreon won't use it in our advertising or as promotional material without your permission. All content is subject to review and we reserve the right to refuse the processing of any content at any time and for any reason. 

It's your responsibility as a creator to follow these content guidelines. By submitting content to Patreon, you accept that it complies with both these guidelines and Terms of Service.

Prohibited content
  1. Creations displaying pornography or graphic depictions of sexual acts.
  2. Creations that depict minors in a sexually suggestive manner. 
  3. Creations promoting hate speech, including calling for serious attacks on people based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or serious medical conditions.
  4. Creations promoting Nazism and Nazi imagery. Specific examples include images featuring Adolf Hitler, Swastikas, the SS logo, or other Nazi-related symbols. 
    Visit this article to find a broader list of prohibited content related to Nazism.
  5. Creations containing an individual's private personal information. This can include but is not limited to a physical address, telephone number, or email address. Note: Social media and website addresses will only be allowed when the creator can show proof of ownership.
  6. Creations explicitly harassing or threatening the well-being of an individual or group of people. This can include words or imagery that incite others to commit acts of violence or engage in threatening behavior such as stalking.

 

Trademark Guidelines
You are not allowed to use phrases, slogans, or images which you don’t have the rights to use. You should always obtain permission to use a phrase, slogan, or image on merchandise if it is trademarked or is already used by an advertising campaign, such as Nike’s “Just Do It,” M&Ms’ “Melts in Your Mouth,  Not in Your Hands,” or McDonald’s Golden Arches.  Patreon reserves the right to request proof of permission prior to processing a request for merchandise. 

Below you can find additional resources for more information on copyright and trademark law: 

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