Crochet and Copyrighted Characters

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer. If you'd like to discuss any topics about copyright, I recommend you consult a lawyer near you.

Copyright infringement

First of all, what does copyright mean? It basically means people get to own original photos, designs, and most of all, characters--anything or anybody that's unique to them. In other words, when the owner creates the character, then they officially own them.

Copyright infringement means publicly selling original owners' original work in any form without permission or a license. It’s no use giving them different names—they will still be recognised by the owner. Big companies are bound to find them and do something about it. They can get pretty brutal, as well.

The consequences

Let's make one thing clear: Without permission or a license, it is not legal to sell copyrighted characters in any form under any circumstances. This includes forms of crochet patterns or amigurumi plushies. This can put small business owners at risk of facing legal consequences, which will be catastrophic for them.

For example, the least devastating effect will be a cease & desist notice. It may just tell small business owners to take them down immediately, but this is something they're not going to forget.

The more devastating effect would be having their Etsy site or personal website taken down. Having the owners lose something that means so much to them would be a tragedy. It would also be pretty much unlikely to get it back.

Finally, the most devastating effect will be the owner being sued by bigger companies, potentially going into bankruptcy. As a small business owner myself, there's no way I can cover that cost.

Keep in mind, this isn't a case of if it will happen, but a case of when.

What are people and I thinking?

Now, I know what people are doing all over the internet right now. Obviously, we love well known characters, and that's absolutely fine. However, if they see them in amigurumi form, or see it as a crochet pattern, they're probably thinking "Wow! These are so good! I hope they sell well." Now, hold on a minute. They may not be aware of this, but I heard that they're actually supporting copyright infringement. What they're doing is that they're hoping that small businesses will sell well while still being at risk.

Also, others might be thinking, "If everyone else is doing it, why shouldn't I? I'll be fine!" But no, they won't be fine. It's because they haven't been caught yet! It would be very lucky for them to get through without having their shop taken down. Again, it's not if they get caught, but when.

However, what's shocked me recently, is that since February 2026, big companies are using AI bots to seek out crocheted fanart, particularly on Instagram, and take them down--even if they're not selling! They could even have their Instagram account taken down, as well. The reason why I think this has gone too far is because some people don’t intend to sell their fanart in the first place. But I'm kind of getting off topic here.

As for me, I'm staying well away from copyrighted characters. Selling them is absolutely not worth it, and I can't afford to have my life (and my family's lives) affected like this.

The best way to run a small crochet business

It's simple. MAKE YOUR OWN ART! On 12th May 2024, I decided to focus on my original art only. Here is an image of what I've made since then.

My originally designed amigurumi plushies

It's been 2 years now, and I do not regret my decision, no matter what people say. Yes, they may get upset about me gatekeeping my crocheted fanart, but I have every reason to do that. But others, particularly on Ribblr, have supported my decision and are happy that I've made that choice.

Besides, I'd rather make my own art, because it's greatly boosted my creativity. As an autistic artist, I love art and colour, and I love creating designs with my own uniqueness. Also, I can focus more on seasonal topics, such as summer and Christmas. Many people have done this on social media, so I'm definitely not going to miss out.

I know it's hard, but I recommend you do the same thing. If you sell copyrighted characters as patterns or plushies, then you're seriously putting your business at risk. Be creative and start designing your own art--it's for the best!