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. We have a three-strike policy for artists who submit designs that are too similar to other artists’ work. Here’s our protocol for contacting artists about work that is too similar:

For artists with no pattern of work that is “too similar”: “We understand how these things can happen, but we must take action.”

For artists with a pattern of work that is “too similar”: “We’ve noticed a pattern; please be more careful and let us know if you need help understanding where the line is. Here are some resources to help.”

For artists with a continued pattern of work that is “too similar”: “We’d like to meet with you by phone to discuss.”

As a community, we want to help artists learn where the line is between inspiration and imitation and protect the work previously submitted. As a company, we want to only feature work that was created independently. We feel this process is the best way for us to achieve that.

Our aim is to educate artists, rather than punish them. We encourage artists to reach out to us at [e-mail] with any questions around our policies.