Buying decisions
Artwork Production Use vs Display Permission: Define the Scope Before Handoff
Permission to use artwork for an order should not be left to imply permission for portfolio display, future reuse or transfer to another production party. Record the permitted files, project, users and uses separately. A file handoff or payment record alone should not be treated as the complete agreed rights scope.
For brand owners handing valuable artwork to production partners.
Start with who can authorize the supplied artwork
Identify the party providing the artwork and the person responsible for confirming the necessary permissions. Record any third-party elements, licenses or restrictions the buyer has supplied. Do not assume that possession of a file establishes unrestricted rights. Where the rights position is uncertain, resolve it with the appropriate rights holder or adviser rather than asking the production team to infer it from a logo on a tech pack.
Separate manufacturing access from public use
Write distinct answers for production use, access by an approved subcontractor, photography, portfolio display and social posting. Identify whether a launch embargo or a specific approval process applies. Avoid a single vague exclusive note: it does not say whether a workshop can hold a working copy or whether a finished sample may appear in a promotional photo. Discuss the actual uses that matter to the brand.
Close the project with a retention and reuse decision
Ask what working files, separations or other production derivatives will be retained, for what purpose and under what agreed access conditions. Specify whether another order needs a new authorization and how a request to return or delete files is handled. Keep these instructions linked to the artwork version and recipient. This is a scope record; it does not replace the parties’ appropriate written agreement.
Decision and evidence checklist
| Decision | Include in the brief | Review evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing use | File version, project and authorized recipients | Agreed production-use scope |
| Public display | Photos, portfolio, launch timing and approval | Separate permission or prohibition |
| Retention/reuse | Files kept and future-order conditions | Project close-out instruction |
What this brief does and does not establish
This checklist does not establish ownership, interpret a particular license or guarantee a legal outcome. The relevant rights and agreed terms need their own confirmation.
Include the artwork-use matrix with your MyOwnWear inquiry; separate production access from photo, display, retention and future-use permissions. Open the MyOwnWear RFQ form.
Buyer questions
Is this about who develops the artwork?
No. It addresses permitted uses after files exist, regardless of who prepared the design.
Does factory access mean portfolio permission?
Do not rely on that inference. Record public display as its own permission decision.
What should be done with unknown third-party rights?
Flag them before production use and obtain an appropriate rights determination rather than assuming permission.