Fashion brands steal design ideas from independent designers all the time, and surprisingly it’s completely legal — But just because it’s legal does not mean that it’s okay or morally correct, and unfortunately this practice occurs everyday. 

For example, in April of 2018 Old Navy underwent scrutiny for stealing a British designer's, Carrie Ann Roberts, “Raising The Future” graphic t-shirt design. Roberts is a single mom who sells “mama merch” items like t-shirts, totes and coffee mugs with cute mom references. The “Raising the Future” shirt was one of Roberts’ best-selling products.

Unfortunately, this situation has happened numerous times to Matte Brand as well. A simple Google search proves that Matte’s designs have been completely replicated by various brands.

Matte Brand:

VS. Another Retailer: