What are the consequences of having a design removed for being too similar?

Creative integrity is a core value of Minted, and we keep track of all cases in which designs are removed for being too similar to other artists’ work.

We realize that there are many designs in the broader stationery marketplace that are very similar to one another, and we understand how easy it is to get mixed signals about what is and isn't acceptable in terms of drawing inspiration from other sources. It's also very common that in the creative process, artists may unintentionally use aspects of other work they have seen. 

All submissions to Minted Challenges must be your own original work. We take design originality and integrity very seriously at Minted. Any work you submit should be 100% of your own creation. Copying or tracing a design or artwork in full or in part is not permitted and could result in a suspension or permanent ban from Minted activity.  

What happens after a strike?

• Win counts and all prize payments are revoked.

• The offending design is removed from the Minted site.

• Our brand team, merchandising team, and Mariam, Minted’s Founder and Co-CEO, will have access to the list of artists with strikes and may take that into consideration for special marketing and commissioned design opportunities. We can’t guarantee, however, that people with strikes will never receive these opportunities.

• During a suspension, the artist cannot enter Challenges or self-launch.

• We will allow artists to rejoin the community after serving a limited-time suspension. 

What happens if a winning design is later determined to be “too similar to accept into the assortment, but not a copy”?

• Win count and top-rated prize payment are revoked. If the artist already submitted files, we will not revoke the EP prize amount.

• The “too similar” design is removed from the Minted site.

Our aim is to educate artists, while also protecting the work of our community. We encourage artists to reach out to us at [e-mail] with any questions about our policies.

If you find a design, artwork, or challenge submission that appears to be too similar to an existing piece on Minted, please let us know immediately by filling out this Designs to Flag for Review form, and we’ll take it from there.