Intellectual Property Policy
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Kin Print makes gifts that belong to one family: their names, their dates, their photos and their words. That only works if the designs we sell and the personalisation we print respect other people’s rights too. This Intellectual Property Policy explains what we create and own, what we will and will not print for customers, how we handle trademarks, characters, team marks and likenesses, and how rights owners can report a concern. Copyright takedown notices follow the formal process on our DMCA page.
Intellectual property at a glance
- Our designs: created for Kin Print or used with permission; please do not copy them.
- Your content: you keep the rights to your names, text and photos; we use them only for your order.
- Not printed: logos, brand names, licensed characters, sports team marks, celebrity likenesses and lyrics without permission.
- Reports: email support@kinprint.shop; we acknowledge within 24 hours on business days.
- Refused items: refunded in full.
1. What Kin Print owns
The Kin Print name, the logo of two linked K letterforms, the look of our website, our original product layouts, illustrations, lettering, product photographs and written content are the intellectual property of Kin Print or are used under permission from their creators. You may browse, share links to and print pages for your own personal use. You may not copy our designs onto other products, reproduce our product photos or descriptions in another shop, or use our name or logo in a way that suggests a connection with us, without written permission.
When you buy a Kin Print item, you own that physical item and can give it, keep it or pass it down the family. Buying it does not transfer the copyright in the underlying design. Reselling our designs in commercial quantities, or using them as the basis of products for sale, requires our written agreement.
2. What you own when you personalise
The names, dates, short phrases and photos you write in the order notes box at checkout or email to us remain yours (or your family’s). You give us permission to use them only to produce, check and deliver your order and to help you if something goes wrong. We never use customer text or photos in our advertising, never show them on our website and never sell them. Photos are deleted 30 days after delivery, as described in our Privacy Policy.
By sending content, you confirm that you have the right to use it for a personal gift. For most families that is simple: your own words, your own snapshots, your children’s drawings. Section 4 explains the cases that need more care.
3. What we will not print
To respect other creators and brands, we decline personalisation that includes the following unless the rights owner has given permission that you can show us:
| Request | Why we decline | A family-friendly alternative |
|---|---|---|
| A company logo or brand name used as decoration | Trademarks belong to their owners | A short line in your own words about what the brand means to your family |
| Cartoon, film, game or book characters | Characters are protected by copyright and trademark | Your child’s own drawing of their favourite animal or hero |
| Professional or college sports team names, logos and mascots | Team marks are licensed trademarks | Your family’s own colours, a player’s first name and number, or “Game day with Grandpa” |
| Song lyrics, poems or passages from recent books | Usually protected by copyright | The song’s meaning in your words, with your names and the date |
| Photos of celebrities or public figures | Rights of publicity and photo copyright | A photo of your own family |
| Professional photos without a print release | The photographer owns the copyright | Ask the photographer for a release, or use a family snapshot |
| Artwork copied from the internet | Belongs to the artist | One of our designs, or a commissioned piece you own |
If an order includes something on this list, we email you before production and suggest an alternative. If we cannot agree on a change, we cancel that item and refund it in full within 7 days. We do not charge for this conversation and we never print a refused element “just this once”.
4. Situations that need care
Names that are also brands
Many family names and nicknames are also brand names. Printing “Ford Family Reunion 2026” for the Ford family is a family name, not a car brand, and is fine. What matters is whether the design uses a brand’s logo, lettering style or slogan to suggest a connection. Plain names written in our own designs are always welcome.
Sports and team pride
Families love to share their team spirit, and we understand that. We can print the words that are yours (“Saturday games with Papa”, a player’s name and number, the year your family started going to games), but not official team names, logos, mascots or uniforms, which belong to the teams and leagues.
Photos from school, studios and weddings
School portraits and professional wedding or family photos usually belong to the photographer. Many packages include a print release for personal use; please check yours before ordering a canvas or ornament. If you have the release, keep it in case we ask. If you are unsure, choose a snapshot taken by a family member.
Memorial items
For memorial ornaments and canvases, families sometimes want a favourite verse or a line from a hymn. Many traditional verses are free to use; more recent works may be protected. We will gently let you know if a requested text needs permission and help you find words that fit.
5. Reporting a trademark or other rights concern
If you own a trademark, a right of publicity or another intellectual property right and believe something on kinprint.shop or a product we sell infringes it, email support@kinprint.shop with the subject “IP concern” and include:
- Your name, organisation (if any), postal address and email address.
- The right you own, for example a trademark registration number and country, or a description of the right.
- The exact page URL or product on our site, with a screenshot if helpful.
- Why you believe the use infringes your right.
- A statement that the information is accurate and that you are the owner or authorised to act for the owner.
We acknowledge within 24 hours on business days, review the concern, and remove or change the material when the concern is valid. If it involves a designer or partner, we share your notice with them so they can respond. For copyright, please use the formal process on our DMCA page, which includes counter-notice rights.
6. How we choose and check designs
Before a design is added to the shop, we check that its artwork, lettering and wording were created for Kin Print or are licensed for products, and that it does not imitate a known brand, character or team. Sample names in product photos are fictional. If we later learn that a design raises a rights concern, we remove it from sale, stop producing it, and contact anyone with a pending order for that design to offer an alternative or a full refund.
7. Fonts, clip art and stock elements
The fonts, ornaments and small graphic elements used in our designs are licensed for commercial products or are free for that use. Customers sometimes ask for a font they saw elsewhere. If that font is not licensed for products, we suggest the closest licensed alternative rather than using it without permission.
8. Using the Kin Print name
You are welcome to mention Kin Print and link to our site when you share a gift you bought, for example in a family group chat or a personal post. Please do not use our name or logo in a way that suggests we endorse a product, service or event, in advertising for another business, or as part of a domain name or social media account name. If you would like to work with us, write to us first.
9. Consequences of repeated misuse
We may refuse orders from, or close the accounts of, customers who repeatedly request content that infringes other people’s rights, or partners who supply infringing designs. We prefer to explain and suggest alternatives, and in almost every case that is enough.
10. Relationship with our other policies
This policy works together with our Terms of Service, which set out your responsibilities for the content you send us, and our DMCA page, which covers formal copyright notices. Refunds for refused items follow our Refund Policy.
11. Questions families ask us
My dad loves one particular coffee brand. Can his mug say so?
We cannot print the brand’s name in its logo style or its slogan, but we can print a line in your own words, such as “Dad’s first cup, every morning since 1985”, with his name. It usually means more to him anyway.
Can we use our family crest?
If the crest was designed for your family, or you have the right to use it, yes; mention it in the order notes and email the image. Generic surname crests sold online are sometimes artwork owned by the seller, so check where yours came from.
Can I order a shirt with my grandson’s football team name?
For a local youth team, a team name written in plain text with your grandson’s first name and number is usually fine; the club’s own logo needs the club’s permission. For professional and college teams we cannot print team names or logos at all.
Can I use a photo I found on social media of our family event?
If a relative took the photo, ask them first; it is their picture, and most relatives are delighted to say yes. If a hired photographer or a stranger took it, the same rules as for professional photos apply. A quick message to the person who took the picture avoids any awkwardness later, and it often turns up a better, full-size copy of the image for printing.
What if I am not sure?
Ask before ordering. Email the idea to us and we will tell you honestly whether we can print it and suggest a version we can. There is never a charge for asking, and no order is needed.
12. Contact
Email support@kinprint.shop (subject “IP concern”) or write to Kin Print, 1714 Wasabi Way, Gilroy, CA 95020, US. We reply within 24 hours on business days. You can also start from the Help Center. Thank you for helping us keep every family gift fair to the artists, photographers and writers whose work makes the world more beautiful.