Copyright Aid

Please help.. advise is needed.

We are being threatened with legal action by our competetition in supply of school uniforms.

we are an embroidery business and we regularly digitize logos for customers.

We have had a rough old time since opening up our shop front as the other local supplier (not a manfacturer) is threatening to take action based on the fact that they own the schools logo. Can this be possible ??
(we believe that they have paid for their version of the badge to be digitised by an embroidery company)


We have assumed, as the school isnt interested, that the competetion rules would have protected us. and that copyright cannot be used.

We have also been informed that the DfES has recomended that school's open up the supply so a fair market price can be achieved. in line with the Office of Fair Trading.

HELP !

My upstanding is that it is the school's governing body that appoints a clothing manufacturer (or manufacturers) to produce uniforms. They would also appoint shops that could sell the uniforms.

I would suggest that you contact the school in question and ask if you can be one of their appointed manufacturers.

The idea of a manufacturer owing the school's logo, seems ridiculous, (though I guess anything is possible!). Nevertheless, someone will own the logo (and I'm guessing it's the school), and you would of course need their permission to reproduce it.

It is true that the Office of Fair Trading has expressed concerns that agreements can often be anti-competitive and may disadvantage poorer parents, and schools are certainly being encouraged to open up the market for more competition, but ultimately it is the school's governing body who will decide who can manufacture and sell their uniforms.

Hope that helps..

Thank you for your feedback.

it seems moraly incorrect that a governing body can tax parents by setting high prices so they receive royalties.

looks like we will have to wait to see what happens with our competetion..!

we will watch the post waiting for the legal letter.

On a search regarding this matter it highlighted this site and I was wondering if anyone else has dealings with this matter and what was their conclusion.
Also does anyone know what the ruling is regarding enforcement of parents having to have logo'd clothing or do they still have the right to send in un-logo'd clothing providing they are following the school dress code.

Hi

Can i just ask how this turned out. I have a similar business and i am having a nightmare with alot of school just not replying to emails and receptionist basically saying no to me using the logo when prents ask for embroidery as well as not passing my emails onto headteachers (which is just really annoying) and it just seems ridiculous to have to go to each individual school to get permission to embroider the logo for parents.

Any advice would be appreciated.