Can I pass along some insite to you crafters?

[traveler]

I don't feel the need to be secretive in some knowledge I have gleaned.... It is after the fact ~for me~ now. But this might be something that you wouldn't have heard about, and could be an opportunity for a sale here and there, if it fits your venues.
Here goes.......

In 2009 John Deere decided to reconfigure their licensing rights, and eliminate whole categories from their agreements. The main one is KITCHEN WARE. Including, trays, thermometers, salt shakers, coffee pots, butter dishes, silverware, plates, bowls... etc. (& Some of my absolute best sellers!) Manufacturing companies had to have it sold out of their stock by 12-31-2009 or destroy it. This has caused several REALLY GOOD manufacturing companies to go bankrupt. As soon as I found out what was going on, I bought all I could possibly could to try to keep me afloat a while longer.

They have allowed camping stuff, tongs, grill covers, camp chairs, wind chimes, signs, etc... to be licensed still, but I believe they went from 32 allowed manufacturers, to 10.

This brings me to my point. In the venues I go to, WOMEN BUY JOHN DEERE KITCHEN STUFF. Eliminating kitchen ware is a huge mistake! (IMHO). On the west coast, it seems to be one of the brands that FFA 4H etc. even knows.. If any of you make items like aprons, oven mitts, table cloths, pillows, curtains, etc. I can bet you that they will sell, or at least attract attention to your stand. I know that Wal Mart, and a couple fabric stores still carries fabric. It is between 5.99 to 8.99 a yard. (Don't remember which!)
Likewise, I have a FARMALL fabric that I would suspect to be popular.

So, if you can use that information, I am glad to help! & for those who might have this category in their line up, I am not trying to snipe you or have your sales stolen. I pray that we all are respectable vendors and respect others unique items.

[susien]

If I am not mistaken... there is a warning on the edge of the fabric basically stating that it is for personal use.... In other words I can not buy it and make something to sell out of it. I know that Disney and Harley Davidson is that way and I am pretty sure that John Deere is the same. I do know that a few vendors were caught by Harley Davidson last year and it was not pretty.....

Susie

[traveler]

Oh, what a shame. I never noticed on the edge of the ones I used for table cloth, other than saying it was a copyrighted licensed John Deere product with the copyright date. But, I just checked, and 1 of them sure does. The other doesn't, but you guys know what you can and can't do with what you make. Suppose it's like telling a company that after 12-31 they would have to destroy what they had left, because the license was non renewable.
Harley & Disney are nasty to deal with on any plane. All sorts of hoops I have to go through to for licensing & territory rights. A nightmare!

[traveler]

THANK YOU, PAULA!
My husband and I had ~~~another~~~ VERY long debate over this very subject. I kept saying that if I bought the fabric lawfully and etail, I had therefore paid my licensing rights, so they could hardly have anything to say about it after. He said, because I alter the original piece and profit from it, and they don't get a piece of the profit, they can protest. Then he said, say I sell a round sign to someone who took it home and made a clock out of it and sold it. John Deere didn't license a clock, so it isn't officially licensed. I then said that it was hand made and artistic license. We ended up tied either way....
You might say that this is one reason that I am so NOT inclined to make things. I'D LOVE TO, but I would probably shoot someone if they swet into my space and confinscated the items I had made, claiming I'd violated some law.