Design It, Build It, Then Watch It Get Stolen: How Designers Are Fighting to Protect Custom Pieces

In an industry that thrives on originality, nothing stings quite like watching your custom design walk into someone else’s collection. It’s not just about the loss of credit. It’s the erosion of trust. One moment you’re collaborating with a manufacturer on a client’s one-of-a-kind piece. Next, it’s listed for sale under someone else’s name with a new SKU and no mention of its origin.

Designers in the @InteriorDesignCommunity have been grappling with this issue for years. A recent post on Instagram reignited the discussion with a question that hits a nerve: How do you protect a custom furniture piece you designed from being sold by the manufacturer?

The flood of comments made one thing clear. This is not a one-off. It’s happening frequently, and it’s prompting designers to draw clear lines, document meticulously, and think creatively about how they share their ideas.

It Starts With Documentation

“Before commissioning a manufacturer to build your design, consult a copyright attorney and have them provide a strict NDA for the manufacturer to sign, but only if your design is 100 percent original.”— Nazeli Design

“Having a contract in place that outlines ownership and usage rights can be a big help.”— Tuned In Tony

“It really irks me that independent designers are not getting rightful credit. Unless you have a water-tight legal agreement, an NDA, fully documented design construction, and a copyright lawyer on retainer, the manufacturer can reproduce your design and sell it without consequence.”— Design by Conway

Not All Vendors Play Fair

“Good freaking luck. I had a collection with a fabric company. The weaver who made it changed a key design just enough and added different colours. Then they sold it to furniture makers and I got zero dollars for it. They made bank. It’s still stocked by many.”— Meredith Heron Collection

“I keep wondering if a chair I designed for myself was copied and reproduced because I started seeing it all over the place shortly afterwards.”— B Designs Interiors

Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed

“We’ve had this happen a few times. We stopped doing business with the offending parties. In their minds, because they fabricated our design, they think they can reproduce and sell it as their own. But that design would not have been possible without our original drawings and renderings. One party even used a photo from our project to sell our design on Instagram and didn’t even attribute the design as ours.”— Cozy Stylish Chic

The Good Ones Do Exist

“We build custom designs and never sell them to anyone. If a designer creates their own design, we won’t even post it on social media. That’s their private design. It’s only available to buy via them and not us as a manufacturer.”— Jonathan Wesley Furniture

Define the Line Between Custom and Collaboration

“Was the design 100 percent designed by you with no input from the manufacturer? Or was it a modification of something in their collection?”— Baker Hesseldenz

Circulate the Good, Name the Bad

“Maybe we should be circulating a list to help each other out. At least then we know who not to approach with original ideas.”— Design by Conway

Keep a Digital Trail

“Publish your design drawing and pre-shop drawing approval on Instagram. That way everyone in the business knows it’s yours from concept to completion.”— Le Prieure De Maroc

Do It Anyway, but Smarter

“I’m working with an Indian rug maker right now and this is a huge concern that they will continue producing the design.”— Katerina Buscemi

Education Is Power

“This is a subject worthy of further discussion and specialist advice on the legal side. I would appreciate being fully aware of all the steps to consider before sharing any concept or design.”— Design by Conway

Not every designer needs a legal team on standby. But they do need clear contracts, trusted partners, and a strong network. When manufacturers act with integrity, they become long-term collaborators. When they don’t, it’s up to designers to speak up, educate one another, and defend the creative process together.