Copyright & intellectual property

Our original work

Copyright in Persephone’s original software, website text, documentation and original artwork belongs to Timipre MacAulay, trading as Persephone, or the relevant licensors, to the extent recognised by law. All rights reserved. Purchasing access does not transfer ownership of those materials. You may not copy, distribute or sell our software or branding without permission or a legal right to do so. This notice does not claim ownership of users’ uploads or third-party materials, or registered trademark status.

Your inputs stay yours

You retain any rights you hold in your photographs, sketches, written descriptions and designs. You give Persephone and its service providers a limited, non-exclusive permission to process and store them as necessary to provide, secure and support the service, subject to our privacy notice. Uploading a reference does not transfer its copyright to us or give you rights you did not already have.

Only submit material you own, have permission to use for the intended processing, or may lawfully use under an applicable exception. Permission to view a picture is not necessarily permission to reproduce it, adapt a protected design or sell a resulting garment.

Inspiration is not a licence

A picture found on Pinterest, social media, a retailer’s website or a public gallery is not automatically free to use. Credit to a creator does not replace permission. Study ideas responsibly: copyright, industrial-design rights, trademarks and other rights can apply differently to photographs, artwork, textile prints, patterns and garments. Protection varies by jurisdiction and by the work involved; no blanket claim is made that clothing designs are unprotected.

Generated patterns and commercial use

You may use your outputs for personal or commercial sewing only to the extent allowed by applicable law and third-party rights. Your purchase provides access to the service, not clearance of a referenced design. AI-assisted outputs may not be unique or eligible for copyright protection. Persephone does not certify originality, perform a comprehensive rights search or guarantee that outputs do not infringe someone else’s rights.

Before selling garments, patterns or other outputs, obtain any necessary permissions and independent advice. Do not use the service to counterfeit products, copy protected branding or knowingly infringe another person’s rights.

Report a rights concern

Send a copyright or other intellectual-property complaint to persephonepatternpixie@designpersephone.com. Identify the work or right concerned, the specific Persephone page or material at issue, why you believe it infringes, and how we can contact you. Include supporting evidence of ownership or authority to act, a good-faith statement and your name or signature. Do not send passwords or unnecessary sensitive information.

We will assess sufficiently detailed reports and may ask for clarification, restrict disputed material, notify the affected user or suspend access where appropriate or legally required. A user disputing a restriction may contact the same address with supporting evidence. This is our reporting channel, not a claim to a statutory safe harbour or a substitute for applicable legal procedures.

Responsibility and lawful limits

Users are responsible for having the necessary rights to their inputs and intended use of outputs. To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify Timipre MacAulay, trading as Persephone, against reasonable losses and costs arising from a third-party intellectual-property claim caused by your unlawful inputs, unlawful use of outputs or material breach of these terms. This does not cover loss caused by our own unlawful conduct, negligence or breach, and does not limit non-waivable consumer rights.

No copyright notice, disclaimer or contract can exempt Persephone from applicable intellectual-property law or eliminate all infringement liability. These policies allocate responsibilities only where legally enforceable. They do not override statutory rights, court orders or duties imposed by law.

Canadian law and official guidance

Persephone is operated by a sole proprietor based in Canada. The Canadian Copyright Act and other applicable intellectual-property laws govern rights where relevant; protections and exceptions in other countries may also apply. Fair dealing and other exceptions are context-dependent, not a blanket permission to copy.

This page provides general policy information, not individual legal advice. The Terms of use & purchase and Privacy notice apply alongside it. Seek qualified Canadian legal advice for your particular rights, commercial plans or dispute.