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Does copyright protect quotes? To put it simply, yes and no.
We’ve all been there at some point. After all personalised T-shirts with quotes on them are some of the most popular designs out there, but can you actually do it? If someone says something that you like, can you put it on a T-shirt? Can you print it in bulk?
The answer, as it often is with most things in life, is complicated.
Before we dwell in the murky waters of intellectual property, first we must acknowledge the difference between copyright and trademark. They’re often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.
Copyright is used to protect works of art while trademark is designed to protect brands and companies. For example, J K Rowling (the author of the Harry Potter books) has the copyright of the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, but its logo has been trademarked by Warner Bros.
Copyright is inherent and universal. The moment you create a work of art or literature, you have the copyright, while trademark is a legal stamp a company has to register in order to protect its symbols. If you want to find out more about copyrights and trademarks, go read the post on intellectual property we wrote a few months ago.
When designing custom t shirts, it’s essential to understand the basics of copyright law and how intellectual propertyapplies to short phrases or logos printed on garments.
Under European copyright law, the quotation exception (“right to quote”) permits the limited use of protected works without the need for prior authorization from the rights holder—provided that certain conditions are met. This exception exists to safeguard freedom of expression, academic discourse, and cultural commentary.
To lawfully rely on the quotation exception, the following requirements must be satisfied:
It is important to note that the quotation exception does not typically extend to commercial applications, such as printing quotes on merchandise, unless the use falls under parody or critique and satisfies the legal criteria for such cases. Therefore, when using quotations for commercial purposes, it is generally necessary to obtain a license or formal permission from the rights holder.
There are exceptions (which we will discuss later), but generally speaking, people have the copyright of words they put down on writing. This rule does not apply to the things we say, though. Ideas cannot be copyrighted, which means that if you don’t want to be quoted, then don’t say anything.
As a general rule, always, ALWAYS credit the author properly and you’ll avoid most trouble. But to be on the safe side, I would stick to the following rules:
Is public domain
Any person can quote a work of art it if it’s public domain (meaning the copyright has expired). In the UK, this happens 70 years after the author’s death for most works.
It’s for a parody, critique or review
In order to get your point across, you are allowed to use bits and pieces of someone else’s work for parodic, critiquing or reviewing reasons. Just make sure you’re not too offensive because then you may be accused of trying to damage someone else’s reputation (that’s called defamation — and you can get sued for that).
It’s short and/or generic
Copyright doesn’t defend short sentences arguing that it would stifle creativity and therefore beat the purpose of copyright in the first place. The only exception is when the phrase includes the name of a recognisable character.
It’s the lyric of an anthem
Anthems like flags and other national symbols aren’t copyrighted.
You said it yourself
Obvious reasons!
It’s copyrighted
Just to be safe, don’t quote anything characters say on anything scripted like movies, TV shows and plays or if it’s a literary work like a novel or poem. The only exception, like we mentioned above, would be if the copyright has expired. Authors such as Shakespeare, Poe and Anne Frank are fair use.
It comes from a speech
It is understandable to be inspired by a lecture such as Neil Gaiman’s Commencement Speech at the University of the Arts, but these like all written works are copyrighted.
It’s recognisable
If the quote is recognisable and doesn’t fall into any of the “safe” categories, I would stay away from it.
Even if you make sure that there’s no trademark now on the quote you are borrowing, it might still get one in the future and that means that you could get into trouble for using content that wasn’t protected, to begin with. As we said before, this is unlikely to happen due to the copyright relationship with short sentences, but still, that doesn’t mean that a phrase won’t get protected in the future if it becomes popular.
A potential scenario would be using a Youtuber’s catchphrase to make a T-shirt. It might be tempting to cash in on the channel’s popularity, especially if they haven’t protected their content, but once they have enough resources they will trademark the expression, trust me.
Tips:
If you believe that the quote you want to use is trademarked, do some research. Look at the UK’s Intellectual Property Office. If it is protected and you still wish to use it (and you have the money), you can still contact whoever holds the rights. Sometimes these companies sell licenses to third parties.
Quotes can be trademarked if they’re recognisable and mention famous characters. Everyone has the copyright to anything they write down, but it won’t be protected if the sentence is short or generic. Also, most people won’t bother pursuing you for using it on a T-shirt as long as it is properly attributed. When in doubt just remember:
While we like to provide useful content to our readers, we feel it is necessary to note that we’re not experts on the subject and would suggest seeking legal advice from a lawyer specialised in copyright and/or trademark if you have any doubts.
Text: Harald Meyer-Delius
Research: Luna Giontella
Disclaimer: This article represents the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Printsome as a company. Neither Printsome nor the author are responsible for copyright or trademark infringements that could be committed by the users of this website.
Using quotes on t shirts without proper rights, especially in commercial contexts like t-shirt printing, printed t shirts, or custom t shirts may infringe on copyright law or trademark law under European regulations. Even short phrases can fall under copyright protection or be registered as trademarks if they are distinctive or linked to a known logo or brand.
Rights holders can respond with:
Additionally, unauthorized use can harm your brand reputation, especially if you ignore existing intellectual propertyprotections.
While some phrases may not appear in federal trademark registration databases or national trademark office records today, they can still become protected over time. This is particularly relevant for viral content or catchphrases.
To avoid legal and commercial risk, always research before launching a new printing project and when in doubt, consult a legal expert specializing in intellectual property.
Thanks to our many years of experience in the apparel-printing industry, we are able to offer a service catered towards the needs of designers and creative directors. Printsome’s apparel-printing services are perfect for streetwear collections, T-shirt lines and merchandise, among many other possibilities.
From the moment you get in touch, one of our ‘printing experts’ will answer all of your questions and find efficient solutions to your needs. It is our mission to help your career flourish. Thanks to high-quality garments and cutting-edge printing techniques, we can produce almost any design. Bulk t shirt printing has never been this easy.
Why worry about inventory or logistics when we can take care of that? We deal with the boring stuff so you have more time to do what you love. To find out more, simply visit our website.
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